\1 


O 


APR  7  1924 


BL  263  .E6  1894 
English,  William  F. 
Evolution  and  immanent  God 


cn  ^yj 


:       ,994 

EVOLUTION  AND  ^^%omim^ 

THE  IMMANENT  GOD 


AN"  ESSAY  ON   THE  NATURAL    THEOLOGY 
OF  EVOLUTION 


WILLIAM  F.  ENGLISH,  PH.  D. 

Pastor  of  the  First   Cong7-egational  Cfmrch,   hast    Windsor^ 


Conn. 


"  Whichever  way  of  creation  God  may  have  chosen,  in  none 
can  the  dependence  of  the  universe  on  Him  become  slacker,  in 
none  be  drawn  closer." — Lotze  :  Microcosmus,  Vol.  I.,  p.  374. 


BOSTON : 

ARENA  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

Copley  Square 

1894 


Copyrighted,  1894, 
By  WILLIAM  F.  ENGLISH.  Ph.  D. 

All  rights  reserved. 


A  rena  Press. 


THIS  LITTLE   VOLUME 

IS  INSCRIBED    TO    MY  WIFE, 

WnOSE   INTEREST, 

SYMPATHY  AND   COMPANIONSHIP 

HAVE   MADE  ITS 

PREPARATION  A  PLEASURE. 


The  Parsonage,"  East  Windsor,  Conn., 
September,  1894. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTEK.  PAGE 

I.  A  New  Phase  of  an  Old  Conflict 1 

II.  The  Doctrine  of  Evolution— Origin— Definition- 
Factors — Proofs — Limitations 16 

III.  The  Christian  Doctrine  of  the  Immanent  God 34 

IV.  Evolution  and  the  Arguments  for  the  Being  of 

God 49 

9 

V.  Evolution  and  the  Beneficence  of  God 66 

VI.  Evolution  and  Revelation  :  the  Incarnation 84 

VII.  Evolution  and  the  Supernatural— Miracle— Prov- 
idence— Prayer 96 

VIII.  Evolution  and  Immortality Ill 


EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 


CHAPTER  I. 

A    NEW    PHASE    OF    AN    OLD    CONFLICT. 

Dr.  Bushnell  observes,  in  his  work  entitled 
"  Nature  and  the  Supernatural/'  that — "  from 
the  first  moment  or  birthtime  of  modern  sci- 
ence, if  we  could  fix  the  moment,  it  has  been 
clear  that  Christianity  must  ultimately  come 
into  a  grand  issue  of  life  and  death  with  it,  or 
with  the  tendencies  embodied  in  its  progress. 
Not  that  Christianity  has  any  conflict  with  the 
facts  of  Science,  or  they  with  it.  On  the  con- 
trary, since  both  it  and  nature  have  their  com- 
mon root  and  harmony  in  God,  Christianity 
is  the  natural  foster-mother  of  Science,  and 
Science  the  certain  handmaid  of  Christianity, 
and   both    together,   when  rightly    conceived, 


2  EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

must  constitute  one  complete  system  of  knowl- 
edge. But  the  difficulty  is  here :  that  we  see 
things  only  in  a  partial  manner,  and  that  the 
two  great  modes  of  thought,  or  intellectual 
methods,  that  of  Christianity  in  the  supernatural 
development  of  God's  plan,  and  that  of  Sci- 
ence in  the  natural,  are  so  different  that  a 
collision  is  inevitable  and  a  struggle  necessary 
to  the  final  liquidation  of  the  account  between 
them :  or,  what  is  the  same,  necessary  to  a  pro- 
per settlement  of  the  conditions  of  harmony. 
Thus  from  the  time  of  Galileo's  and  Newton's 
discoveries  down  to  the  present  moment  of 
discovery  and  research  in  geological  science, 
we  have  seen  the  Christian  teachers  sticklino* 
for  the  letter  of  the  Christian  documents  and 
alarmed  for  their  safety,  fighting,  inch  by 
inch,  with  solemn  pertinacity,  the  plainest, 
most  indisputable  or  even  demonstrable  facts. 
On  the  other  side,  the  side  of  Science,  multi- 
tudes, especially  of  the  mere  dilettanti,  have 
been  boasting,  almost  every  month,  some  dis- 
covery that  Avas  to  make  a  fatal  breach  upon 
revealed  religion." 

However  we  may  regard   his   interpretation 
of  them,  we    believe  the    author  quoted  has 


A  NEW  PHASE  OF  AN  OLD  CONFLICT.  3 

stated  the  facts  of  the  ease  with  substantial 
accuracy,  and  that  he  gives  a  good  summary 
of  a  considerable  part  of  our  controversial 
literature  in  this  short  paragraph. i 

Science  and  Religion,  or  rather,  Science  and 
Theology,  have,  since  the  time  of  the  German 
Reformation,  when  for  the  first  time  such  a 
conflict  became  possible,  been  continually  ar- 
rayed, the  one  against  the  other. 

Indeed,  before  that  time,  although  their 
activity  was  by  definition  restricted  to  differ- 
ent and  separate  spheres.  Theology  having 
to  do  with  the  higher  sphere — the  Kingdom 
of  Grace — as  distinguished  from  the  lower 
sphere,  the  Kingdom  of  Nature — the  proper 
domain  of  Science,  they  frequently  came  into 
collision,  and  Theology  often  felt  constrained 
to  invoke  the  aid  of  the  Church's  anathemas 
to  hinder  the  circulation  and  acceptance 
of  teachings  of  Science  Avhich  seemed  to  it 
to  imperil  the  integrity  of  the  current  dog- 
matic system. 

Quite  probably  this  opposition  and  persecu- 
tion on  the  part   of  Theology   exerted  a  most 

1  Cf.  "  New  Chapters  in  the  Warfare  of  Science  "— Po?j.  ScL 
Mo.,  1891. 


4  EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

salutary  influence  upon  the  development  of 
Science ;  in  the  same  way  as  the  early  perse- 
cutions of  the  Christian  Church  contributed 
without  doubt  to  the  advancement  of  the 
cause  of  truth. 

Men  of  science  were  likely  to  sift  their 
theories  to  the  bottom  and  to  convince  them- 
selves, at  least,  of  their  substantial  truth,  be- 
fore proclaiming  them  to  a  world  dominated  by 
the  priest  and  the  Inquisition.  The  very  op- 
position of  intellectual  darkness  and  bigotry 
was  calculated  to  draw  out  and  develop  to  the 
uttermost  any  natural  heroism  of  character, 
and  to  make  Science  more  conscious  of  the 
responsibility  of  its  moral,  as  well  as  intellectual, 
mission — a  condition  of  things  in  sad  contrast 
with  the  arrogance,  dogmatism,  and  dilettante- 
ism  which  pervades  and  characterizes  so  much 
of  modern  scientific  theory  and  assertion. 

With  the  rise  of  free  investigation  and 
thought,  however.  Science  was  quick  to  resent 
the  former  tyranny  of  Theology,  and  bitter  in 
its  hostility  to  its  old  oppressor.  With  the 
discovery  of  new  facts  and  old  errors,  with  the 
development  and  general  acceptance  of  an  em- 
pirical philosophy,  and  the  growing  belief  in 


A  NEW  PHASE  OF  AN  OLD  CONFLICT.  5 

the  universality  of  law,  Science  has  often 
seemed  to  think  itself  on  the  eve  of  over- 
throwing the  whole  structure  of  faith,  with 
the  facts  of  observation  and  experiment. 

Taking  its  stand  upon  the  basis  of  the  ob- 
served facts  of  the  outward  world  of  nature, 
and  believing  their  logic  to  be  irresistible,  it 
has  given  scant  courtesy  to  the  facts  of  spirit- 
ual experience  and  belief  and  the  testimony  of 
the  human  consciousness  respecting  an  inner 
and  spiritual  world.  It  has  viewed  the  many 
attempts  of  Theology  to  build  upon  such  facts 
a  stable  and  satisfactory  structure  with  an 
incredulity  akin  to  contempt. 

Theology,  thrown  on  the  defensive  from  the 
first,  cumbered  with  the  burden  of  inherited 
creeds  and  dogmatic  systems,  and  feeling  bound 
to  maintain  their  integrity  at  all  hazards  and 
against  every  foe,  has  often  found  itself  on 
the  side  of  error,  and  been  obliged,  again  and 
again,  to  adjust  its  theories  to  the  facts,  and 
in  accordance  with  the  new  light  furnished  it 
by  its  supposed  enemy. 

It  has  fought  this  losing  battle  with  great 
pertinacity,  and  has  many  times,  mistaking 
fidelity  to  the  traditional  theology  for  fidelity 


6         EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

to  the  truths  of  Revelation,  seemed  almost  on 
the  point  of  losing  prestige  with  thinking  men  ; 
and  yet,  in  the  end,  with  wise  conservatism, 
even  if  a  Httle  late,  has  accepted  the  truth,  and 
even  used  it  to  establish  anew  and  upon  a 
more  secure  foundation  its  own  system. 

Too  often  both  parties  in  this  controversy 
have  been  narrow  in  their  views  of  truth,  and 
only  willing  to  look  upon  it  from  one  side, 
and  that  their  own  peculiar  standpoint  ;  while 
the  one  who  would  effect  a  reconciliation  be- 
tween them  has  been  suspected  by  both. 

There  is,  however,  a  growing  belief  in  the 
necessary  unity  of  the  universe.  There  may 
be  two  revelations,  or  even  more, — their  num- 
ber is  largely  a  matter  of  definition — but,  if 
these  are  all  from  one  source,  as  the  tlieist  be- 
lieves, they  must  agree,  when  rightly  under- 
stood and  properly  expressed.  One  should 
not  be  considered  as  naturally  and  inevitably 
opposed  to  the  other,  or  as  tending  to  destroy 
or  discredit  its  teaching ;  but  in  each  should 
be  sought  explanation  and  confirmation  of  the 
other,  and  in  them  both,  taken  together,  one 
harmonious  unity  of  truth.  To  discover  and 
establish  this   unity  and   consistency  has  long 


A  NEW  PHASE  OF  AN  OLD  CONFLICT.  7 

been  the  ambition  and  endeavor  of  earnest 
minds. 

The  old  conflict  between  Theology  and 
Science  has  of  late  entered  upon  a  new  phase, 
and  taken  a  new  direction  and  name.  With 
the  discovery  of  Evolution,  and  its  promulga- 
tion as  a  universal  philosophy,  having  its  appli- 
cation and  validity  in  all  departments  of  science 
and  truth,  the  terms  of  the  conflict  were 
changed  ;  and  we  now  find  Evolution  pitted 
against  Theology,  the  prevailing  theory  or 
philosophy  of  Science  taking  the  place  of 
Science  itself  in  the  old  controversy. 

The  theory  of  Evolution,  Avhen  first  advanced, 
received  scant  courtesy,  even  from  the  scien- 
tific world  ;  but,  after  running  the  gauntlet  of 
ridicule  and  adverse  criticism,  it  has  gradually 
won  its  way  to  acceptance,  in  one  form  or 
another,  among  the  great  majority  of  scien- 
tists ;  and  now  furnishes  working  hypotheses 
for  the  main  branches  of  science  ;  and  gives 
its  own  distinctive  color  to  the  teaching  of  our 
chief  schools  and  universities. 

Theology  has  been  slow  to  accept  this  new 
doctrine  in  any  form ;  indeed,  from  no  other 
quarter  has  it    met  with   such  persistent   and 


8  EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOB. 

determined  opposition,  not  to  say  misrepresenta- 
tion. It  has  appeared  to  many  to  be  the  very 
Anti-Christ  of  modern  scientific  thought,  de- 
stroying all  faith  in  the  teachings  of  Revela- 
tion, and  even  imperilling  the  very  belief  in  the 
existence  of  God. 

In  the  early  and  extreme  form,  in  which  it 
was  urged  by  some,  and  with  the  extravagant 
claims  made  for  it  by  many  of  its  advocates, 
we  could  hardly  expect  it  to  receive  any  other, 
or  milder,  treatment  at  the  hands  of  that 
science  which  it  came  professedly  to  supplant 
and  destroy.  After  considerable  discussion 
and  explanation,  however,  and  in  a  somewhat 
modified  form,  with  its  sphere  and  limitations 
well  defined,  it  is  now  beginning  to  find  favor 
and  acceptance,  even  in  theological  circles. 
The  earlier  misrepresentation  and  bitter  hostil- 
ity which  characterized  its  first  reception  by  the 
theologian,  has,  in  a  great  measure,  ceased  or 
given  place  to  a  more  judicial  frame  of  mind 
on  his  part ;  and,  while  the  materialistic  in- 
terpretations and  inferences  of  some  of  its 
advocates  are  opposed  as  firmly  as  ever,  many 
accept  the  doctrine,  or  philosophy,  in  one  form 
or  another,    defend  it,  and    even  find    in    its 


A  NEW  PHASE  OF  AN  OLD  CONFLICT.  9 

teaching  aid  for  the  apprehension  and  elucida- 
tion o£  religious  truth. 

The  doctrine  of  Evolution  may  be  said  to 
have  won  for  itself,  at  last,  a  position  where  it 
can  be  considered  strictly  on  its  own  merits  ; 
and  its  value  in  the  statement  and  elucidation 
of  Christian  truth  can  now  be  estimated. 

Toleration  and  consideration  in  theological 
circles  is  no  inconsiderable  victory  for  the 
theory  which  lately  was  denounced  without  dis- 
crimination and  stint  from  so  many  pulpits, 
periodicals,  and  seminaries. 

Nor  is  it  a  small  gain  to  Christianity  itself, 
that  the  young  men  who  have  come  to  accept 
Evolution,  as  it  is  implied,  if  not  directly 
taught,  in  our  colleges  and  schools,  are  no 
longer  told  that  they  cannot  believe  in  the 
doctrine  of  Evolution  and  be  at  the  same  time 
Christians. 

Several  causes  have  contributed  to  bring 
about  this  great  change  in  the  attitude  of  the 
religious  public  toward  the  doctrine  of  Evolu- 
tion. Of  these,  perhaps  tlie  most  potent  has 
been  a  better  understanding  of  the  real  and 
essential  meaning  of  the  principle,  and  its 
necessary  bearing   upon  spiritual  truth;  Avhile 


10        EVOLUTION  AXD  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

the  names  and  influence  of  those,  eminent  for 
their  piety  and  scholarship  among  the  churches, 
who  have  accepted,  explained  and  defended  the 
theory,  has  also  done  much  to  weaken,  if  not 
entirely  remove,  the  prejudice  which  the 
advocacy  of  many  pronounced  materialists  and 
atheists  had  eno^endered  amono-  those  who 
valued  their  Christian  faith  above  aught  else, 
and  were  not  willing  to  tolerate  for  a  moment, 
even  for  consideration,  any  theory  or  phi- 
losophy that  threatened  its  entirety. 

In  this  connection,  the  name  of  Dr.  McCosh 
deserves  thankful  mention,  for  his  early,  cour- 
ao'eous  and  conservative  maintenance  of  the 
true  principles  involved. 

His  "Bedell  Lectures  "  for  1887  are  a  model 
of  clearness  and  discrimination  in  presenting 
the  "  Religious  Aspect  of  Evolution  ;  "  and  his 
own  personality  and  character  give  additional 
Aveight  to  his  words.  His  acceptance  of  the 
doctrine  of  Evolution  as  an  established  prin- 
ciple is  unequivocal.  He  says,  ^ — "  That  there 
is  such  a  process  as  Evolution,  whatever  that 
may  be,  is  now  settled  among  naturalists. 
There  is  not  a  scientist  under  thirty  years  of 
1  Independent,  Oct.  3d,  1889. 


A  NEW  PHASE  OF  AN  OLD  CONFLICT.        11 

aofe  who  does  not  believe  in  it  in  some  form. 
Our  theologians  and  religious  journalists,  who 
are  ignorant  of  natural  history,  speak  against 
it  less  frequently  and  dogmatically,  though 
they  still  claim  a  petty  victory  when  evolution- 
ists quarrel  about  some  subordinate  points." 

Others  also  have,  in  like  manner,  borne 
testimony  to  the  value  of  Evolution  and  the 
groundlessness  of  the  fears  entertained  on  its 
account. 

Dr.  Hunger  maintains  i  that,  "  Evolution, 
properly  considered,  not  only  does  not  put 
God  at  a  distance,  nor  obscure  his  form  be- 
hind the  order  of  nature,  but  draws  him 
nearer,  and  even  goes  far  towards  breaking 
down  the  walls  of  mystery  that  shut  him  out 
from  human  vision.  In  other  words,  in  Evolu- 
tion we  see  a  revelation  of  God,  while  in  pre- 
vious theories  of  creation  we  had  only  an 
assertion  of  God." 

Dr.  Hark  affirms,  and  has  written  a  book  2 
to  show,  that,  "  The  truth  of  the  Bible  and  the 
truth  of  Evolution  are  one,  the  only  conflict  is 
between  its  several  interpreters  and  expo- 
nents." 

'  "  Appeal  to  Life."         ^  "  The  Unity  of  the  Truth." 


12       INVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

Indeed  some  have  gone  so  far  in  their  ac- 
ceptance and  appreciation  o£  the  doctrine  o£ 
Evolution  as  to  attempt  the  reconstruction  of 
theology  upon  the  basis  of  its  philosophy  ;  be- 
lieving that  essential  modifications  of  the 
existing  doctrinal  systems,  if  not  a  "  theologi- 
cal revolution,"  lie  involved  in  and  are  required 
by  its  teaching  and  implications. 

Undoubtedly,  the  new  philosophy  will 
change  to  a  considerable  extent  the  point 
of  view  from  which  all  truth  is  seen.  Protest- 
ant theology,  however,  has  never  had  phi- 
losophy for  its  source,  nor  depended  upon  it 
for  its  facts ;  only  in  their  statement  and 
elucidation  has  the  aid  of  philosophy  been 
sought,  and  here  surely  the  influence  of 
Evolution  will  be  felt,  though  the  expectations 
of  some  and  fears  of  many  respecting  its 
effect  upon  Dogmatic  Theology  are  likely  to 
be  disappointed. 

There  are,  however,  many  questions,  intro- 
ductory to  theology  proper,  which  depend 
for  their  solution  quite  largely  upon  phi- 
losophy. It  is  with  these  that  we  may  expect 
to  find  Evolution  a  more  pronounced,  direct 
and  determining  influence. 


A  NEW  PHASE  OF  AN  OLD  CONFLICT.        13 

Materialism  and  doubt  have  been  quick  to 
claim  the  testimony  and  support  of  the  doc- 
trine of  Evolution  for  themselves,  in  their  con- 
flict against  all  belief  in  the  supernatural  and 
supersensual,  and  loud  in  proclaiming  their 
expected  victory  over  Christianity. 

The  consensus  of  scientific  opinion  seems  to 
be  that  they  have  been  premature  in  their  re- 
joicing and  unwarranted  in  their  claims. 

Prof.  Fiske,  the  leading  exponent  of  the 
Evolutionary  Philosophy  in  America,  bears 
testimony  to  the  fact  that,^  "  One  grand  result 
of  the  enormous  progress  achieved  during  the 
past  forty  years  in  the  analysis  of  both  physi- 
cal and  psychical  phenomena  has  been  the 
final  and  irretrievable  overthrow  of  the  materi- 
alistic hypothesis." 

In  a  recent  article  ^  the  same  author  indiof- 
nantly  rebukes  the  dogmatism  of  those  scien- 
tists that  declare  the  belief  in  Evolution  to  be 
inconsistent  with  a  belief  in  the  existence  of  a 
personal  God,  maintaining  the  perfect  har- 
mony of  the  two  beliefs. 

In  an  earlier  production-^  he  tells  us  how  th? 

>  Cosmic  Philosophy.  ^  p^p^  ^^^l  ;^jo    g^p^^  Ig^l^ 

3  Idea  of  God. 


14       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

doctrine  of  Evolution  affects  his  own  belief  in 
God, — "  When  from  the  daAvn  of  life  we  see 
all  thinofs  workino^  toofether  toward  the  evolu- 
tion  of  the  highest  spiritual  attributes  of  man, 
we  know,  however  the  words  may  stumble  in 
which  we  try  to  say  it,  that  God  is,  in  the 
deepest  sense,  a  moral  being." 

It  would  seem,  therefore,  that  the  time  was 
now  ripe  for  Christian  thinkers  to  appropriate 
for  their  own  uses  the  new  light  furnished  by 
this  promising  theory,  and  to  use  it,  with  all 
the  prestige  it  has  gained  with  thinking  men, 
in  the  ever-changing  battle  which  they  are 
continually  compelled  to  wage  with  materi- 
alism and  doubt,  with  regard  to  those  ques- 
tions which  meet  us  on  the  threshold  of  all 
belief. 

Let  us  no  longer  direct  our  controversial 
attacks  against  the  doctrine  of  Evolution,  as 
though  the  weight  of  its  testimony  and  impli- 
cation w^ere  against  us  ;  but  let  us  use  Evolu- 
tion itself,  or  its  philosophy,  in  clearing  the 
ground  for  the  acceptance  of  the  Christian 
system,  and  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  struct- 
ure of  faith  upon  the  one  foundation  of  saints 
and  prophets. 


A  NEW  PHASE  OF  AN  OLD  CONFLICT.       15 

Should  it  be  found  to  serve  for  this  worthy 
purpose,  it  would  not  be  the  first  time  in  the 
history  of  thought  that  the  Christian  Church 
has  received  its  weapons  for  overcoming  its 
enemies,  ready  furnished  and  prepared  by  its 
old  accredited  foe. 


16       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOB. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    DOCTRINE  OF  EVOLUTION. ORIGIN. DEF- 
INITION.  FACTORS. PROOFS. LIMITATIONS. 

1.  The  early  popular  idea,  that  Evolution 
was  the  invention  of  Darwin,  and  signifies  the 
descent  of  man  from  the  monkey,  is  now  fast 
giving  place  to  broader  and  more  satisfactory, 
if  less  simple,  conceptions. 

There  is  still,  however,  a  tendency  to  exag- 
gerate the  importance  and  magnify  the  influ- 
ence of  the  later  expounders  of  this  doctrine, 
at  the  expense  of  those  who  as  surely  deserve 
recognition  for  their  services  in  preparing  the 
way  and  laying  the  foundations  for  its  subse- 
quent acceptance  and  development. 

Many,  even  among  the  most  strenuous  ad- 
vocates of  Evolution,  seem  desirous  of  making 
out  a  complete  break  in  the  continuity  of  the 
development  of  thought,   and   insist   upon  the 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  EVOLUTION.  17 

modern  origin  ^  o£  this  doctrine,  oblivious  of 
the  fact  that  their  own  theory  demands  con- 
tinuity in  philosophy  as  much  as  in  geology. 

Indeed,  a  consistent  and  satisfactory  history 
of  the  origin  and  development  of  the  doctrine 
of  Evolution,  in  its  broadest  sense,  has  yet  to 
be  written  ;  the  current  histories  of  philosophy 
not  having  this  line  of  investigation  in  mind. 
The  idea  of  development  is  by  no  means  a 
modern  one.  It  can  be  traced  back  to  the 
earlier  Greek  philosophers,  and  often  had  a 
place,  more  or  less  prominent,  in  the  systems 
of  all  periods,  though  the  breadth  of  the  pos- 
sible application  of  the  principle  never  received 
any  adequate  recognition. i 

Indeed,  Dr.  James  Freeman  Clarke  asserts,^ 
that  a  belief  in  the  doctrine  of  Evolution  is 
found  among  most  of  the  primitive  races,  a 
dim  prophecy  of  what  modern  science  has 
revealed  as  the  actual  fact.  He  finds  more  or 
less  clear  traces  of  it  in  the  Orphic  writings, 
the  laws  of  Manu,  Aristophanes,  Hesiod,  Ovid, 
amono;  the  Indians   of   America,  in  the  Eddas 

o 

1  Lectures  before  the    Brooklyn  Ethical    Association.— 
"  The  Philosophy  of  Evolution." 

2  Ten  Great  Religions.     Vol.  II. 

2 


18        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

of  the  Teutonic  race,  and  even  in  the  myths 
of  the  islands  of  the  Pacific. 

The  world  of  the  ancients  was  small,  their 
intellectual  horizon  limited,  the  data  for  com- 
parisons and  generalizations  in  a  great  measure 
undiscovered,  and  hence  its  methods  undevel- 
oped. 

The  facts  of  nature,  the  events  of  history, 
and  the  postulates  of  philosophy  were  discerned 
with  an  increasing  clearness,  but,  from  a  lack 
of  perspective,  their  causes  and  relations  were 
little  apprehended  or  understood,  and  the  dis- 
covery of  any  universal  law  of  connection  and 
development  was  not  to  be  expected. 

What  Professor  Fiske  i  observes  with  reg^ard 
to  historical  science  and  investigation  may 
perhaps  be  regarded  as  practically  and  sub- 
stantially true  in  all  departments  of  scien- 
tific research, — "  Most  of  the  shortcomino^s  of 
the  old  method  of  historical  writing  resulted 
from  the  fact  that  the  world  was  looked  at 
from  a  statical  point  of  view,  or  as  if  a  picture 
of  the  world  were  a  series  of  detached  pictures 
of  things  at  rest.  The  human  race  and  its 
terrestrial  habitat  were  tacitly  assumed  to  have 

»Pop.  Sci.  Mo.,  Sept.,  1891. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  EVOLUTION.  19 

been  always  very  much  the  same  as  at  present. 
One  ag-e  was  treated  much  hke  another,  and 
when  comparisons  were  made  it  was  after  a 
manner  as  different  from  the  modern  compar- 
ative method  as  alchemy  was  different  from 
chemistry.  As  men's  studies  had  not  yet  heen 
turned  in  such  direction  as  to  enable  them  to 
appreciate  the  immensity  of  the  results  that  are 
wrought  by  the  cumulative  action  of  minute 
causes,  they  were  disposed  to  attach  too  much 
importance  to  the  catastrophic  and  marvel- 
lous." 

It  is  only  the  breadth  of  view  and  scientific 
method  of  modern  times  that  have  made  possi- 
ble a  conception  of  the  universe  as  a  connected 
whole,  and  the  development  of  ideas  of  connec- 
tion and  relation,  which  have  existed  in  so 
many  minds  and  found  expression  in  so  many 
philosophical  systems,  into  one  comprehensive 
philosophy  or  doctrine  of   Evolution. 

The  discoveries  of  Copernicus  and  Newton 
in  Astronomy  did  much  to  enlarge  the  mental 
horizon  of  mankind  as  regards  the  element  of 
space;  and  those  of  the  latter  demonstrated 
the  active  potency  of  the  forces  known  to  ter- 
restrial physics  among  the  planets  as  well. 


20        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

Lyell  introducecl  the  new  Geology,  showing 
that  the  same  physical  causes  or  forces  now  in 
operation  were  sufficient,  when  conceived  of  as 
acting  through  long  periods  of  time,  to  account 
for  the  successive  changes  and  periods  in  the 
earth's  history,  without  the  necessary  intro- 
duction of  new  agencies  or  the  supposition  of 
violent  catastrophes. 

Even  before  these  astronomical  and  geologi- 
cal discoveries,  in  1755,  the  "  Nebular  Hypoth- 
esis "  was  promulgated  by  Immanuel  Kant, 
an  evolutionary  theory,  which,  with  subsequent 
modifications  and  emendations,  remains  essen- 
tially the  working  hypothesis  of  to-day. 

In  the  application  of  the  comparative  method 
to  other  branches  of  science,  as  Biology  and 
Philology,  results  were  also  obtained  that  did 
much  to  stimulate  the  oTowinof,  thouo-h  vao-ue, 
conception  of  an  Evolution  where  each  phase 
of  nature  is  produced  from  an  antecedent  phase 
through  the  action  of  causes  now  in  opera- 
tion. 

Mr.  Darwin  applied  himself  to  the  task  of 
learning  the  force  or  cause  that  could  account 
for  the  specific  clianges  and  variations  in  plant 
and  animal  life,  and,  as   a  result  of  his  pro- 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  EVOLUTION.  21 

tracted  and  painstaking  researches,  discovered 
the  now  famous  hiw  of  "  Natural  Selection,"  or 
"  The  Survival  of  tlie  Fittest." 

Mr.  Wallace  also  solved  the  same  prohlem 
in  the  same  way,  entirely  independent  of  Mr. 
Darwin,  and  shares  with  him  the  honor  of  the 
discovery. 

Mr.  Darwin's  connection  with  Evolution 
was  limited  to  this  one  line  of  investigation 
and  discovery  ;  and  it  is  hard  to  see  how  he 
can  be  properly  called  the  discoverer  of  the 
doctrine  of  Evolution,  which  was  clearly  the 
product  of  many  minds,  the  induction  from  the 
results  and  facts  burnished  by  many  independ- 
ent investiofators,  in  many  different  lines  of 
research. 

Herbert  Spencer,  following  out  perhaps  the 
investigations  of  Von  Baer  and  the  suggestions 
of  the  German  philosophers,  was  the  first  to 
discover  a  universal  formula  of  Evolution,  and 
this  he  did  at  first  quite  independently  of  Mr. 
Darwin,  though  in  perfect  harmony  with  the 
results  he  had  obtained,  and  influenced,  no 
doubt,  by  the  trend  of  the  age. 

The  doctrine  of  Evolution  is  now  the  herit- 
age of  the   scientific   world,  and  the   working 


22       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

hypothesis  of  the  many  seekers  after  truth  in 
its  various  fields. 

It  has  passed  in  safety  and  triumph  what 
may  be  called  the  preliminary  stage  of  trial 
and  exposition,  and,  in  one  form  or  another, 
commands  general  acceptance. 

It  has  now  entered  upon  the  more  important 
period  of  application  and  verification  through- 
out the  whole  realm  of  truth,  and  among  all 
the  phenomena  of  the  outward  world,  and  the 
world  of  mind  as  well.  This  period  seems 
likely  to  be  a  protracted  one,  for  the  true 
nature  of  Evolution  and  its  exact  limits  are  by 
no  means  settled,  as  yet,  and  its  whole  process 
is  still  a  mystery,  which  challenges  the  best 
thought  and  most  thorough  and  minute  in- 
vestigations of  this  and,  in  all  probability,  of 
many  generations  to  come  ;  with  good  pros- 
pect of  large  and  substantial  gains  for  true 
scientific  knowledofe. 

2.  Of  the  various  definitions  which  have  been 
given  of  Evolution,  perhaps  the  most  Avidely- 
known  is  that  of  Herbert  Spencer,  who  defines 
it  in  general  terms,  as  "  an  integration  of  matter 
and  concomitant  dissi^Dation  of  motion  :  during 
which    the   matter  passes  from    an  indefinite. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  EVOLUTION.  23 

incoherent  homogeneity  to  a  definite,  coherent 
heterogeneity,  and  during'  whicli  the  retained 
motion  undergoes  a  parallel  transformation." 

Prof.  Le  Conte  speaks  of  it,  as  a  "  continuous 
progressive  change,  according  to  certain  laws, 
by  means  of  resident  forces." 

In  other  words,  it  is  an  organized,  universal 
law  of  causation,  by  whicli  one  thing  is  devel- 
oped, or  drawn  out,  of  another,  the  complex 
from  the  simple,  and  the  more  complex  from 
the  less  complex. 

3.  The  forces,  or  factors,  entering  into  this 
process,  and  acting  to  produce  these  changes, 
have  not  as  yet  been  fully  determined.  On 
this  point  there  is  still  considerable  difference 
of  opinion  among  the  advocates  of  Evolution. 

There  are  four  factors  i  which  have  obtained 
general  recognition  : — 

1.  Influence  of  Environment,  which,  as  it 
changes,  affects  function,  and  function  struct- 
ure ;  and  the  changes  thus  produced  are  ni- 
herited  and  integrated  throughout  successive 
generations. 

2.  The  increased  Use  or  Disuse  of  Organs, 
producing  changes  in  form,  structure  and  size 

1  Prof.  Le  Conte.   Monist,  April,  1891. 


24       EVOL  UTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

of  organs,  which  changes  are  also  inherited  and 
integrated,  as  before. 

These  two  factors  are  Lamarckian,  and  relate 
only  to  changes  occurring  during  individual 
life,  and  which  it  is  supposed  the  offspring  in- 
herit unchanoed. 

3.  Natural  Selection,  or  the  Survival  of  the 
Fittest,  occurring  among  individuals,  of  those 
most  in  accord  with  their  environment  in  each 
generation. 

4.  Sexual  Selection  ;  the  female  exercising 
her  preference  among  the  male  suitors  seeking 
her  possession,  on  the  basis  of  greater  strength, 
beauty,  or  attractiveness.  In  these  last  named, 
called  Darwinian  factors,  the  changes  are  all 
in  the  offspring,  while  the  individual  remains 
unchano^ed. 

Still  another  factor  has  been  more  recently 
mentioned,  called  "  Segregate  Fecundity  "  by 
Gulick,  and  "  Homogamy  "  by  Romanes  ;  the 
selection  of  those  varieties  the  individuals  of 
which  are  fertile  among  themselves,  but  sterile, 
or  less  fertile,  with  other  varieties,  or  the  parent 
stock. 

These  factors,  however,  seem  to  many  to 
fail  of  fully  accounting  for  all  the  phenomena, 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  EVOLUTION.  25 

especially  when  we  consider  the  development 
o£  man  ;  and,  hence,  we  shall  be  obliged  to 
note  several  limitations  of  the  doctrine  of 
Evolution,  especially  relating-  to  this  particular. 

Whether  we  may  not  confidently  expect  the 
discovery  of  some  other  factor,  which  will 
supply  this  need  or  lack  in  such  a  way  as  to 
relieve  the  main  difficulty,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  obtain  for  itself  general  acceptance, 
is  not  at  present  by  any  means  certain. 

Professor  Le  Conte,  fully  appreciating  the 
difficulty,  states  the  demand  for  some  such 
factor  very  clearly,  and  insists  that  the  above- 
named  factors  are  not  sufficient  to  explain  the 
facts  brought  to  light  in  the  process  of  human 
development,  but  that  in  this  case  we  must  add 
to  them  another  factor, — "  The  conscious,  volun- 
tary co-operation  in  the  work  of  Evolution  (of 
man  himself),  conscious  striving  for  the  better- 
ment of  the  individual  and  of  the  race.  This 
factor  consists  essentially  in  the  formation  and 
pursuit  of  ideals.  .  .  In  early  stages  man  de- 
veloped much  as  other  animals,  unconscious 
and  careless  whither  he  tended,  and  therefore 
with  little  or  no  voluntary  effort  to  attain  a 
higher  stage.     But  this  voluntary  factor,  this 


26        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD, 

striving  toward  a  goal  or  ideal,  in  the  individ- 
ual and  in  the  race,  increased  more  and  more 
until  in  civilized  communities  of  modern  times 
it  has  become  by  far  the  dominant  factor.  .  . 
This  voluntary,  rational  factor  not  only  assumes 
control  itself,  but  transforms  all  other  factors 
and  uses  them  in  a  new  way  and  for  its  own 
higher  purposes.  This  last  is  by  far  the  great- 
est change  which  has  ever  occurred  in  the 
history  of  Evolution.  In  organic  evolution 
nature  operates  by  necessary  law  without  the 
voluntary  co-operation  of  the  thing  evolving. 
In  human  progress  man  voluntarily  co-operates 
with  nature  in  the  work  of  evolution,  and  even 
assumes  to  take  the  process  mainly  into  his 
own  hands.  Organic  evolution  is  by  necessary 
law,  human  progress  by  free,  or  at  least  by 
freer,  law.  Organic  evolution  is  by  a  pushing 
upward  and  onward  from  below  and  behind, 
human  progress  by  an  aspiration,  an  attraction 
toward  an  ideal — a  pulling  upward  and  onward 
from  above  and  in  front.  .  .  Man,  contrary  to 
all  else  in  nature,  is  transformed,  not  in  shape 
by  external  environment,  but  in  character  by 
his  own  ideals." 

This  suggestion  of  Professor  Le  Conte,  though 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  EVOLUTION.  27 

a  valuable  one,  and  one  that  certainly  indicates 
the  direction  in  which  the  solution  of  the  dif- 
ficulties involved  in  the  evolution  of  the  human 
race  must  be  sought,  is  only  a  suggestion  or 
theory  of  an  individual  as  yet,  and  the  gener- 
ally-recognized Factors  of  Evolution  are  four, 
or  at  most  five,  as  mentioned  above. 

4.  It  is  of  course  clearly  impossible  to  give 
any  adequate  and  satisfactory  statements  of  the 
Proofs  of  Evolution  within  the  limits  of  a 
single  paragraph  or  chapter. 

All  such  attempts  ^  are  necessarily  more  sug- 
gestive than  demonstrative.  We  will,  there- 
fore, content  ourselves  with  the  brief  mention 
of  a  few  considerations  bearing  upon  the  sub- 
ject ;  leaving  the  one  who  would  thoroughly 
canvass  the  multiform  array  of  facts  that  go  to 
substantiate  this  theory,  to  consult  the  more 
technical  scientific  works  upon  the  various 
branches  of  the  subject.  Nor  would  we  be 
understood  to  claim  that  the  proofs  of  Evolu- 
tion are  complete,  in  the  sense  that  all  tlie 
stages  in  the  process  of  development  have  been 
clearly  traced,  or  all  the   links  of  the   chain  of 

^  Cf.  Lectures  before  the  Brooklyn  Ethical  Assocation.— 
"  Proofs  of  Evolution." 


28        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOB. 

descent  discovered.  This  could  not  reasonably 
be  expected  at  such  an  early  stage  in  the  in- 
vestigation, i£  the  attainment  of  such  complete 
knowledge  and  insight  were  conceivably  pos- 
sible for  man  in  his  present  limitations. 

It  is  important  to  note,  however,  while  mak- 
ing this  disclaimer,  that  the  proofs  of  the 
doctrine  of  Evolution  do  not  come  from  any 
one  branch  of  science. 

It  is  an  induction  from  many  sciences,  and  a 
belief  in  it,  as  the  general  method  of  creation 
is  strengthened  and  confirmed  by  the  results 
obtained  by  these  sciences  working  on  entirely 
independent  lines  of  investigation.  Astron- 
omy, Chemistry,  Geology,  Botany,  Biology  and 
Sociology,  each  and  all  bring  in  their  concur- 
rent testimony  to  the  validity  of  the  principle  ; 
and,  while  it  is  impossible  for  one  who  is  not  a 
special  student  of  science  to  thoroughly  sift  the 
evidence  in  each  and  all  its  departments,  yet 
we  must,  if  we  would  credit  human  testimony 
at  all  in  regions  which  we  are  not  able  our- 
selves to  explore,  accept  the  conclusion  thus 
reached.  We  turn  to  Astronomy  and  learn  of 
the  development  of  our  present  planetary 
system  from  the  primal  nebulous  vapor. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  EVOLUTION  29 

In  Geology  we  find  the  record  of  the  grad- 
ual development  o£  the  earth  until  it  has 
reached  its  present  state,  the  early  and  simple 
forms  of  life,  the  growing  complexity  and 
differentiation,  and  the  upward  gradation  of 
all  forms  of  life. 

When  w^e  consider  the  existing  animal  organ- 
isms and  discover  in  man,  and  elsewhere,  ru- 
dimentary organs,  inexplicable  on  any  other 
hypothesis,  and  a  general  community  of  struct- 
ure among  the  thousands  of  species  that 
inhabit  the  earth  ;  and  when,  by  experiment 
and  observation, , we  note  for  ourselves  the 
changes  which  can  be  brought  about  by  varia- 
tions in  environment,  and  which  are  taking 
place,  for  this  and  other  reasons,  we  feel  quite 
inclined  to  accept  the  testimony  of  those  who 
are  qualified  to  speak,  and  to  consider  Evolu- 
tion as  the  most  probable  method  of  creation. 

5.  It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  doctrine 
of  Evolution  has  solved  every  difficulty  ;  or 
that  it  can  afford  an  explanation  for  every 
mystery,  however  extravagant  may  be  the 
claims  made  for  it  by  its  more  enthusiastic 
advocates.  Masfnificent  as  have  been  its 
achievements  in    bringing    to    light  the    long 


30       EVOLUTION  ANT)  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

hidden  law  of  the  connection  and  development 
of  the  universe,  it  has  penetrated  little,  if  any, 
within  the  cloud  of  mystery  which  envelops  and 
conceals  from  our  vicAv  the  ultimate  origin  of  the 
primal  facts  of  existence.  There  are  still  many 
things  the  secret  of  Avhose  being  and  beginning 
the  scientist  has  not  been  able  to  fathom  by 
any  of  his  methods  of  observation  or  experi- 
ment, and  yet  Avhicli  must  be  accepted  as  facts, 
most  important  and  fundamental  to  a  complete 
understandino'  of  the  universe. 

Evolution  has  its  limitations,  its  mysteries,  its 
uncertainties.  To  confess  this  is  by  no  means 
to  discredit  the  theory  or  to  deny  its  value  and 
importance. 

We  have  learned  from  the  experience  of  the 
past  to  look  with  doubt  and  suspicion  upon 
theoloofies  and  scientific  theories  that  have  no 
mysteries,  and  come  to  us  prepared  to  ofPer  an 
adequate  explanation  of  the  whole  universe  of 
fact  or  of  truth.  We  have  learned  to  accept 
the  mysterious  and  unexplainable,  even  the 
paradoxical,  as  a  part  of  the  universe  of 
reality. 

Arrogance  and  infallibility  in  theory  and 
dogma,  as  in  the  individual,  repel ;  while  liumil- 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  EVOLUTION.  31 

ity  attracts,  and  confessions  of  limitation  and  of 
mystery  are  no  indication  of  weakness,  only  of 
finiteness,  and  tliey  give,  rather  than  destroy, 
confidence. 

Evolution  leaves  the  origin  of  matter,  that 
primal  and  basal  factor  in  the  process  of  de- 
velopment, as  much  in  the  dark  as  ever.  It 
may  trace  back  the  forms  of  it  with  which  we 
are  familiar,  from  one  degree  of  complexity  to 
one  of  more  simplicity,  but  the  rudimentary 
and  ultimate  molecule,  or  atom,  remains  to  be 
accounted  for,  and  Evolution  cannot  do  it. 

Light,  so  essential  for  the  growth  and 
development  of  plant  and  animal  life,  whence 
its  origin  and  what  the  explanation  of  its 
action  ?  We  are  told  that  it  consists  of  vibra- 
tions in  an  ether,  but  the  answer  only  intro- 
duces new  elements  to  embarrass  the  prob- 
lem, for  they  in  turn  require  explanation  ; 
and  Evolution  is  obliged  to  leave  the  question 
pretty  much  where  it  found  it.  How  shall  we 
account  for  the  beginnings  of  plant  life,  with 
its  power  of  assimilation,  growth  and  repro- 
duction ?  It  is  not  of  the  essence  of  matter, 
as  we  know  it ;  and  we  cannot  produce  it 
with  any  chemical,  electric,  magnetic,  or   other 


32        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

force  known  to  science.  Here  also  Evolution 
is  silent. 

Nor  is  the  problem  o£  the  origin  of  animal 
life,  possessing  sensation,  the  power  of  locomo- 
tion, instinct,  and  a  measure  of  intelligence, 
any  easier  of  solution. 

Indeed  the  mystery  deepens  at  every  step, 
and  reaches  its  culmination  when  we  try  to 
account  for  the  origin  of  human  life.  Man 
possesses  all  that  was  noblest  and  best  in  what 
preceded  him,  and  adds  to  his  endowment 
even  richer  acquisitions  of  moral  and  spiritual 
potentiality. 

These  new  powers  or  forces  were  introduced 
at  various  times  in  connection  with  the  differ- 
ent stages  in  the  process  of  Evolution,  and, 
only  by  assuming  their  introduction  and  grant- 
ing their  operation,  can  we  explain  the  various 
phenomena  of  existence.  Evolution  finds  a 
place  for  them  in  its  system,  and  proclaims  the 
universality  of  law  in  all  their  activity,  but  it 
utterly  fails  in  all  its  efforts  to  produce  or 
account  for  them.  History  tells  us  of  a  writer 
who  lived  some  1,500  years  before  the  begin- 
ning of  our  era,  according  to  the  common 
reckoning,    long    before    the    earliest    of    the 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  EVOLUTION.  33 

Greek  philosophers,  and  long  before  the 
beginnings  of  scientific  investigation.  He 
writes  of  a  preliminary  and  antecedent  period 
when  the  earth  was  without  "  form  and  void," 
no  hght,  no  life.  He  tells  us  of  the  introduc- 
tion of  light.  He  gives  us  what  purports  to 
be  a  history  of  the  creation  in  outline,  and 
hints  at  the  introduction  of  new  forces  at 
different  periods  in  the  process  of  the  develop- 
ment of  the  earth  and  of  plant  and  animal  life. 
Living  as  he  did  in  the  childhood  of  the  race, 
he  may  perhaps  be  excused  for  his  failure  to 
use  the  latest  scientific  terminology,  when  he 
described  with  substantial  accuracy  the  order 
of  the  development  of  the  universe. 

Nor  do  we  feel  inclined  to  censure  that 
childlike  faith,  which,  viewing  the  develop- 
ment of  each  period  as  a  whole,  unhesitatingly 
ascribed  it,  in  its  entirety,  to  the  divine  po- 
tency. 

Evolution  is  now  busy  writing  a  commentary 
upon  his  words,  and  may  yet  even  come  to  aj)- 
plaud  his  faith,  as  true  spiritual  insight  into 
the  essence  of  the  underlying  reality,  and  ac- 
cept his  explanation  of  the  primal,  basal  mys- 
tery— the  primal,  or  first,  cause. 


34       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD, 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    CHRISTIAN    DOCTRINE    OF     THE     IMMANENT 
GOD. 

Throughout  the  entire  history  of  thought, 
whether  expressed  in  philosophies  or  theologies, 
we  can  trace  two  prevailing  and  fundamentally 
opposed  conceptions  of  God,  in  His  relation  to 
the  universe. 

The  one  views  Him  as  transcendent,  far  re- 
moved from  the  universe  of  His  creation,  and 
ruling  and  regulating  it  from  without  ;  the 
other  finds  Him  immanent,  present  in  power 
and  potency  in  all  created  things. 

The  one  views  the  universe  as  a  o^o-antic 
machine,  so  arranged  as  to  be  able  to  run  it- 
self after  receiving  the  primal  impulse  from  the 
hands  of  its  Maker,  subject  to  His  general  super- 
intendence, and  to  any  interruption  of  its  courses 
or  processes,  or  any  change  in  the  same,  that  the 


DOCTRINE  OF  THE  IMMxiNENT  GOD.  35 

Ruler  of  the  world  may  deem  desirable  or  ex- 
pedient from  time  to  time  ;  the  other  conceives 
of  the  universe  as  a  manifestation  of  God,  views 
the  creation  as  a  continuous  process,  and  the 
laws  of  nature  as  expressions  of  the  will  of 
God. 

Closely  allied  to  these  more  prominent  con- 
cejitions,  and  logically  dependent  upon,  if  not 
derived  from  them,  are  those  of  Anthropomor- 
phism and  Pantheism  ;  and  these  also  are  in 
turn  entirely  incongruous,  the  one  with  the 
other.  The  anthropomorphic  conception  of 
God,  which  ascribes  to  the  Supreme  Being  the 
attributes  and  characteristics  of  humanity^  is  a 
natural,  if  not  necessary,  result  or  complement 
of  the  idea  of  Him  as  transcendent. 

This  conception  has  generally  been  found  in 
connection  with  the  conception  of  God  as  tran- 
scendent ;  as  though  the  religious  nature  of 
man  demanded  some  compensation  for  the  put- 
ting God  at  a  distance,  and  would  postulate 
likeness  in  the  place  of  nearness. 

Pantheism  also,  that  doctrine  which  confuses 
God  with  the  universe  of  His  creation,  may  be 
said  to  naturally  and  inevitably  follow  from 
the  conception  of   God  that  regards  Him  as 


36       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

immanent  in  the  universe,  if  the  necessity  of 
holding  to  and  insisting  upon  His  j^ersonaHty 
be  once  forgotten,  or  if,  as  in  the  case  of  much 
of  the  thought  of  the  heathen  world,  it  be  not 
felt  to  any  appreciable  extent. 

We  are,  therefore,  not  surprised  to  find  that 
in  all  the  thouglit  of  heathenism  the  panthe- 
istic doctrine  of  God  largely  preponderates. 
In  most  of  their  conceptions  they  were  inclined 
to  confuse  God  with  the  world,  though  the 
opposite  conceptions  are  also  found,  and  the 
baldest  and  most  extreme  Anthropomorphism 
is  by  no  means  a  stranger  to  their  thought. 
Grecian  philosophy  as  well,  in  all  its  forms  and 
phases,  was  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  domi- 
nated by  this  same  pantheistic  tendency.  Juda- 
ism, on  the  other  hand,  was  as  far  on  the  other 
side,  and,  in  all  its  distinctive  ideas  and  con- 
ceptions of  God,  transcendence  is  the  element 
that  obtains  recognition  and  maintains  the 
supremacy.  In  its  doctrine  of  God  its  theology 
may  be  characterized  by  transcendence,  joined 
with  and  tempered  by  a  bold  Anthropomor- 
phism. Christian  theology,  however,  while 
inheriting  much  from  Judaism,  and  while  ac- 
cepting in  its  main  features  the  Jewish  concep- 


DOCTRINE  OF  THE  IMMANENT  GOD.  37 

tion  o£  tlie  character  of  God  and  incorporating 
it  into  its  own  system,  was  inclined  to  a  very 
different  idea  of  Him  in  His  relation  to  the 
world  from  that  entertained  by  the  old  dis- 
pensation. 

The  Incarnation  was  a  new  fact,  and  one  of 
profound  meaning  and  import  in  this  connection. 

Moreover,  this  fact  Avas  the  central  one  in 
their  thoug-ht  and  the  corner-stone  upon  which 
they  would  build  their  system  of  doctrine,  as 
well  as  their  structure  of  faith.  The  problem 
of  theology  in  this  period  was  to  find  an  ap- 
propriate place  for  this  transcendent  and  cul- 
minating event ;  or  rather,  with  the  life  of  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh  filling  the  horizon  of  their 
thought,  the  bonds  of  inherited  and  traditional 
dogma  were  broken  or  loosed  to  such  an  extent 
as  no  longer  to  be  felt  as  a  restraint,  and  the 
Incarnation  became  the  starting-point  for  and 
the  center  of  all  theological  inquiry,  while  all 
other  truths  had  to  be  arranged  anew  in  their 
order  of  relation  to  or  dependence  upon  this 
transcendent  event. 

The  first  chapter  of  the  Gospel  of  John 
shows  how  early  and  how  profoundly  this 
necessity  was  felt. 


£]8        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

There  is  still  another  factor  which  must  not 
be  lost  sight  o£  in  this  connection  ;  and  that 
is,  the  influence  of  Greek  Philosophy  upon  the 
early  theologians  of  the  Christian  Church. 

Judaism,  if  we  except  the  fcAV  feeble  and 
ineffectual  attempts  made  about  the  time  of 
Christ  by  the  Jewish- Alexandrian  school,  did 
not  produce  any  national  philosophy.  Their 
intellectual  activity  was  turned  in  other  direc- 
tions, and  their  circumstances  and  mental 
characteristics  as  well  were  not  favorable  for 
the  production  or  development  of  philosophy. 

The  Greek  Philosophy,  however,  was  highly 
developed  and  dominant  in  all  intellectual  cir- 
cles throughout  the  Roman  world.  Its  influ- 
ence was  by  no  means  inconsiderable  among 
the  Jews  themselves,  as  the  imitative  efforts 
of  the  Jewish-Alexandrian  school,  mentioned 
above,  abundantly  show.  Moreover,  the  early 
theologians  of  the  Christian  Church  were  men 
who,  as  far  as  they  had  received  any  j^revious 
training,  had  obtained  it  from  the  study  of  the 
prevailing  Greek  Philosophy  of  this  period, 
and  often  in  the  schools  of  philosophy  them- 
selves. Their  modes  and  methods  of  thouo-ht 
were  thus  in  a  large  measure  determined  by 


DOCTRINE  OF  THE  IMMANENT  GOD.  39 

this  important  influence.  Their  theology, 
however,  is  by  no  means  pantheistic  ;  the  per- 
sonahty  of  God  is  clearly  recognized  ;  but,  in 
their  conception  of  the  relation  of  God  to  the 
universe,  the  Jewish  idea  of  transcendence  no 
longer  predominates,  and  the  Christian  doctrine 
of  the  Immanence  of  God  for  the  first  time 
obtains  adequate  statement  and  recognition. 
This  doctrine  is  distinctively  and  essentially  a 
Christian  doctrine,  having  much  in  common 
with  the  spirit  of  the  best  of  the  Greek  phi- 
losophy, but  possessing  also  a  recognition  of 
the  Divine  personality,  akin  to  that  found  in 
the  Hebrew  theology. 

This  conception  of  God  was  developed  and 
expounded  by  the  early  Church  Fathers,  and 
particularly  by  Clement,  and  Origen,  and  the 
Fathers  of  the  Greek  Church. 

Prof.  Allen  shows,  in  his  exceedingly  inter- 
esting book,  "  The  Continuity  of  Christian 
Thouirht,"  how  this  doctrine  dominated  the 
thought  of  the  early  theologians  of  the 
Church,  standing  as  the  corner-stone  of  many 
of  their  systems,  before  the  time  came  when 
all  theological  thought  and  investigation  was 
controlled  and  directed  by  the    Hierarchy  in 


40        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

its  endeavor  to  establish  and  maintain  its  su- 
premacy in  the  Christian  Church. 

This  same  author  also  explains  the  decadence 
of  this  doctrine,  at  one  time  so  prominent  in 
Christian  thought,  in  this  struggle,  from  the 
necessity  of  maintaining  the  conception  of  a 
God  livinof  far  removed  from  man  and  inac- 
cessible,  that  men  might  be  forced  to  have 
recourse  to  the  priesthood  and  Hierarchy  as 
divinely-appointed  mediators,  and  representa- 
tives of  the  Deity  as  well,  among  men.  We 
thus  find  that  Latin  thought  was  opposed  to 
the  conception  of  God  as  immanent,  and  that 
all  through  the  middle  ages  it  was  held  in 
abeyance,  while  the  doctrine  of  transcendence 
was  insisted  upon  and  developed  by  most  of 
the  leading  theologians  ;  John  Scotus  Eregina, 
who  went  almost  to  the  extent  of  manifest 
pantheism  in  his  theological  system,  and  others, 
here  and  there,  of  like  or  corresponding  opin- 
ions, being  clearly  exceptions,  and  opposed  in 
their  thought  to  the  tendency  of  the  age. 

Since  the  emancipation  of  theology  from 
this  enforced  slavery  to  the  will  and  interests 
of  the  Hierarchy,  the  doctrine  of  the  imma- 
nence of  God  has  aofain  obtained  recoo^nition. 


DOCTRINE  OF  THE  IMMANENT  GOD.  41 

It  is  now  commonly  asserted  that  God  is  both 
immanent  and  transcendent,  in  order  not  to 
sacrifice  the  idea  of  His  personality  to  much- 
feared  pantheistic  tendencies  of  thought. 

The  tendency  is,  however,  as  Prof.  Allen 
shows,  to  revert  to  the  earlier  conceptions  of 
the  Greek  Fathers,  and  to  emphasize  anew  the 
Christian  doctrine  of  the  Immanent  God,  as 
affording"  the  most  satisfactory  standpoint 
from  which  to  view  theology  and  to  explain 
the  phenomena  of  nature  as  well,  in  their  re- 
lation to  the  Divine  will. 

Henry  B.  Smith,  in  his  Systematic  Theology, 
thus  defines  the  doctrine  : — 

"  God  is  present  everywhere  in  working,  in 
efficiency.  He  acts  in  and  through  every  sub- 
stance and  thino:.  On  the  other  hand  God  has 
also  a  substantial  omnipresence,  a  presence 
of  His  substance  or  essence  everywhere." 

Dr.  Hunger  says  :  ^  "It  is  the  characteristic 
thought  of  God  at  present  that  He  is  immanent 
in  all  created  things, — immanent  yet  personal, 
the  Life  of  all  lives,  the  Power  of  all  powers, 
the  Soul  of  the  universe." 

There   can  be  little   doubt  but  that   the  dis- 

iThe  Freedom  of  Faith. 


42        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOB. 

coveries  of  Science  have,  directly  or  indirectly, 
done  much  to  stimulate  and  streno'then  this 
tendency  of  thought. 

Looking  at  the  question  from  the  side  of 
Science,  even  such  a  conservative  scientist  as 
Prof.  Le  Conte  is  forced  to  the  conclusion  that, 
"  either  God  is  far  more  closely  related  with 
nature,  and  operates  it  in  a  more  direct  way 
than  we  have  recently  been  accustomed  to  think, 
or  else  nature  operates  itself,  and  needs  no  God 
at  all.     There  is  no  middle  oTound  tenable." 

Evolution  is  by  no  means  necessarily  opposed 
to  the  Christian  doctrine  of  the  Immanent  God, 
indeed  it  requires  some  such  supplementary 
conception  to  afford  a  basis  for  the  existence  of 
the  multiform  phenomena  which  it  has  brought 
to  light,  to  explain  the  possibility  of  their  oc- 
currence, and  to  account  for  the  intelligence 
which  originated  and  presides  over  the  whole 
process  of  development. 

The  primal  and  central  teaching  of  Evolu- 
tion, and  indeed  of  all  science  and  philosophy 
as  well,  is  the  universality  of  the  reign  of  law  ; 
a  doctrine  which  receives  new  and  almost  daily 
illustration  and  confirmation  from  every  fresh 
observation  and  experiment. 


DOCTRINE  OF  TUB  IMMANENT  GOD.  43 

There  are  physical  laws  and  there  are  also 
laws  of  mind.  In  accordance  with  the  require- 
ments of  one  law,  one  phenomenon,  or  class  of 
phenomena,  must  be  explained;  and  another 
law  gives  the  reason  for  another  occurrence  or 
class  of  occurrences  ;  while  the  law  of  Evolution 
accounts  for  the  general  development  of  the 
whole  cosmic  universe.  Everywhere  we  find 
traces  of  the  existence  and  action  of  law ;  its 
dominion  extends  as  far  as  the  boundaries  of 
our  observation ;  and  its  behests  afford  the 
explanation  of  all  that  has  occurred  and  in- 
dicate the  lines  of  development  and  advance  in 
the  future. 

But  what  are  these  laws,  so  universal  and 
all-powerful  in  their  application  and  potency 
that  naught  can  escape  from  their  controlling 
influence  ? 

In  accounting  for  the  existence  and  develop- 
ment of  the  universe,  is  it  enough  to  say  that 
everything  has  been  brought  into  its  present 
state  by  the  action  of  universal  laws,  or,  are 
we  not  obliged  in  turn  to  ask  for  an  explana- 
tion of  the  existence,  origin,  and  potency  of 
the  laws  themselves  ? 

However  misleading  certain  forms  of  expres- 


44        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

sion  may  be,  it  is  perfectly  clear  to  a  sound 
philosophy  that  law  cannot  be  conceived  of  as 
a  force  or  power  in  itself  to  perform  all  that  of 
which  it  is  urged  as  the  explanation.  They 
explain  much,  it  is  true  ;  but  they  themselves 
require  an  adequate  explanation. 

Laws  are  but  "  modes  of  action  of  omnipo- 
tence," having  no  power  or  reality  apart  from 
the  Divine  Being,  the  expression  of  whose  will 
they  are. 

The  "  universality  of  law  "  is  a  doctrine 
which  has  been  supposed  by  many,  its  friends 
and  foes  alike,  to  be  destructive  of  a  belief  in 
the  Christian  religion  ;  but  what  is  it,  after  all, 
but  the  scientific  expression  of  a  well-known 
doctrine  of  theology — the  omnipresence  of  the 
Immanent  God?  So  also,  in  like  manner,  the 
immutability  of  the  laws  of  nature,  a  doctrine 
so  often  opposed  by  the  theologian  as  fatal 
to  all  religious  belief,  is  but  the  statement,  in 
scientific  language,  of  a  current  teaching  of 
theology — the  immutability  of  God. 

It  is  encouraging  to  see  that  it  is  fast  becom- 
ing evident  to  the  theologian  and  scientist  alike, 
that  the  doctrine  of  Evolution  does  not,  as  was 
feared  by  some  and  supposed   by  others,  do 


DOCTRINE  OF  THE  IMMANENT  GOD.  45 

away  with  the  necessity  o£  a  God  in  explaining 
the  facts  o£  the  universe  ;  and  that  the  con- 
viction of  the  necessity  of  maintaining  the  har- 
mony of  beliefs  in  Evolution  and  in  the  exist- 
ence of  God,  conceived  of  as  immanent  and  yet 
personal,  is  a  growing  one ;  while  we  may 
expect  Evolution  to  furnish  us  with  confirma- 
tion and  elucidation  of  a  belief  most  fun- 
damental and  important  in  the  Christian 
system. 

Says  Professor  Fiske  :  ^ — "  The  doctrine  of 
Evolution,  which  affects  our  thought  about  all 
thingfs,  brinsrs  before  us  with  vividness  the  con- 
ception  of  an  ever-present  God — not  an  ab- 
sentee God  who  once  manufactured  a  cosmic 
machine  capable  of  running  itself  except  for  a 
little  jog  or  poke  here  and  there  in  the  shape 
of  a  special  providence.  The  doctrine  of 
Evolution  destroys  the  conception  of  the 
world  as  a  machine.  It  makes  God  our  con- 
stant refuge  and  support,  and  Nature  his  true 
revelation  :  and  when  all  its  religious  impli- 
cations shall  have  been  set  forth,  it  will  be  seen 
to  be  the  most  potent  ally  that  Christianity  has 
ever  had  in  elevating  mankind." 

»  Pop.  Sci.  Mo.,  Sept.,  1891. 


46        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

A  recent  theolosfical  writer  ^  also  comes  to  a 
like  conclusion  with  reo^arcl  to  the  influence  of 
Evolution  upon  our  idea  of  God  : — "In  the 
place  of  a  Creator  working  at  the  world  from 
the  outside,  it  shows  us  an  inherent,  all-perva- 
sive Power,  permeating  all  things,  active  every- 
where, constantly  unfolding  himself  according 
to  the  eternal  order  of  his  own  being.  Instead 
of  an  arbitrary  Lawgiver  imposing  his  decrees 
upon  the  world,  or  himself  subject  to  moral 
laws  existing  somewhere  or  other  in  the  universe, 
we  have  a  spiritual  Substance,  whose  own  con- 
stitution and  mode  of  beino^  are  the  eternal  law 
of  both  material  and  spiritual  existence,  deter- 
mining the  '  stream  of  tendency  that  is  ever ' 
making  for  righteousness  and  happiness,  mould- 
ing all  things  great  and  small  according  to  the 
principles  of  his  own  being. 

"  We  have  a  God  Avhom  indeed  we  cannot 
picture  as  seated  on  a  throne,  invested  with 
human  form  and  attributes,  but  whom  we  can 
realize  as  being  with  us  '  alway,  even  unto  the 
end  of  the  world,'  as  immediately  present 
everywhere,  as  one  in  whom,  in  deed  and  in 
truth,  we  can  '  live  and  move,  and  have  our 
'  Dr.  Hark:  The  Unity  of  the  Truth. 


DOCTRINE  OF  THE  IMMANENT  GOD.  47 

being' ;  '  a  Spirit-principle  who  can  actually 
live  in  ns,  whom  we  can  '  put  on/  on  whom 
as  a  foundation  we  can  build  up  ourselves  unto 
the  ideal  set  before  us.  A  God  whom  we  can 
trust,  because  He  is  '  the  same  yesterday,  to-day 
and  forevermore,'  '  in  whom  is  no  variable- 
ness nor  shadow  of  turning,'  the  one  God 
blessed  forevermore.  ...  A  God  who  in  the 
truest  sense  is  our  Father,  our  Friend,  and  our 
Saviour." 

It  would  seem,  therefore,  that  this  concep- 
tion of  the  Immanent  God,  so  thoroughly  in 
harmony  with  the  prevailing"  trend  of  scien- 
tific thought,  as  represented  by  the  doctrine  of 
Evolution  ;  and  at  the  same  time  in  line  with 
the  ideas  of  the  earliest  Christian  thinkers,  and 
in  harmony  with  the  current  of  modern  theo- 
logical development,  gives  promise  of  furnishing 
the  long-desired  basis  of  agreement,  or  union, 
between  Science  and  Theology. 

The  doctrine  of  Evolution  is  itself  still  in 
the  process  of  development,  nor  do  we  believe 
that  the  doctrines  of  Theology  have  attained 
to  their  final  and  most  complete  statement. 
Many  philosophies  have  arisen  in  the  past  and 
for  a  time  commanded  Avide-spread   confidence 


48        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOB. 

and  given  promise  of  great  and  permanent  use- 
fulness, only  to  be  superseded  by  later  and 
more  satisfactory  statements  and  explanations 
of  truth.  This  may  be  the  case  with  the 
doctrine  of  Evolution  in  turn. 

And  yet  it  would  seem  that  a  doctrine  of 
Evolution  which  finds  its  explanation,  possibil- 
ity, and  reality  in  the  Immanent  God,  gives 
promise  of  making  a  nearer  approach,  than 
has  ever  yet  been  made,  to  a  system  of  phi- 
losophy of  universal  scope  and  application. 


ARGUMENTS  FOR  THE  BEING  OF  GOD.        49 


CHAPTER  lY. 

EVOLUTION     AND     THE     ARGUMENTS      FOR      THE 
BEING   OF  GOD. 

Four  arguments  are  usually  adduced  to  es- 
tablish the  necessity  of  the  assumption  of  the 
existence  of  God  in  accounting  for  the  facts  of 
nature  and  of  consciousness.  The  Ontological ; 
the  Cosmological  ;  the  Teleological  ;  and  the 
Moral,  or  Historical. 

When  the  emphasis  was  put  upon  the  tran- 
scendence of  God,  it  was  natural,  if  not  neces- 
sary, to  look  to  these  arguments  for  demonstra- 
tive proof  of  the  being  of  God  ;  the  establish- 
ment of  a  logical  and  necessary  connection 
between  the  universe  and  its  extra-mundane 
Originator.  With  this  end,  or  requirement, 
in  view,  the  arguments  have  been  elaborated 
with  great  care  by  different  writers,  but  with 
varying    degrees    of    success    in    producing    a 


50        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOB. 

general  certainty  of  conviction  as  to  their  ade- 
quacy, and  in  answering  all  objections  to  their 
validity. 

Man's  efforts  to  demonstrate  the  being  of 
God  from  the  existence  of  the  world  and  its 
phenomena,  the  infinite  from  the  finite,  the 
eternal  from  the  temporal,  could  hardly  be  ex- 
pected to  succeed,  from  the  very  nature  of  the 
problem.  The  considerations  adduced  as  proof 
have  value  and  validity  chiefly  with  those  who 
believe  in  the  existence  of  God  upon  other 
grounds. 

The  being  of  God  must  be  considered  as  a 
primal  truth;  logic  is  as  powerless  to  intro- 
duce it  within  the  terms  of  its  formulas,  as 
science  is  unable  to  extract  it  from  the  crucible 
of  its  researches. 

1.  Says  Dr.  Mulford  :  i—  '  Man  is  conscious 
of  the  being  of  the  external  world,  and  lives 
and  acts  in  ^this  consciousness,  and  the  being 
of  the  external  world  so  comes  to  be  appre- 
hended by  him.  And,  further,  man  is  conscious 
of  the  being  of  God,  and  lives  and  acts  in  this 
consciousness,  and  the  reality  of  the  being  of 
God  so  comes  to  him."     With  the  conception 

'  The  Republic  of  Gk>d. 


ABGUMENTS  FOR  THE  BEING  OF  GOD.        51 

of  God  as  immanent  in  the  universe,  as  "  the 
light  which  lig'hteth  every  man  coming  into  the 
world/'  the  Ontological  argument  becomes 
little  more  than  a  statement  o£  the  fact  that 
the  being  of  God  is  a  truth  primitive  in  human 
thought  and  apprehension.  Under  the  influ- 
ence of  this  conception,  we  search  no  longer 
for  demonstrations  of  the  beino^  of  God,  but 
the  rather,  believing  that  the  being  of  God  is 
the  foundation  and  life  of  all  things,  we  look 
for  manifestations  and  revelations  of  God,  His 
will  and  His  purposes.  We  seek  knowledge  of 
God,  and  ^  ^^  the  knowledge  of  God  comes 
through  experience.  It  is  the  experience  of 
the  individual  and  the  family,  and  the  nation  in 
the  life  of  humanity." 

We  look  to  these  arguments,  therefore,  for 
indications  of  the  presence  and  activity  of  the 
Divine  Being  in  the  universe.  And,  when 
viewed  in  this  light,  they  have  a  value  and 
cogency  which  they  did  not  before  possess, 
and  which  the  doctrine  of  Evolution  increases, 
rather  than  diminishes,  though  at  the  same 
time  it  changes  somewhat  the  form  of  their 
statement  and  broadens  the  conceptions  in- 
'  The  Republic  of  God. 


52        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

volved  in  them,  especially  in  the  case  o£  the 
argument  from  design. 

2.  The  cosmological  argument  depends  upon 
the  principle  of  causation,  and  may  be  stated 
in  the  form  of  a  syllogism  :  Every  effect  must 
have  an  adequate  cause.  The  world  is  an 
effect.  Therefore  the  world  must  have  had  a 
cause,  adequate  to  account  for  its  existence. 

The  aim  of  this  aro^ument  is  to  establish  the 
existence  of  an  eternal  and  necessary  Being, 
the  First  Cause. 

Prof.  Bascom  has  shown  ^  the  impossibility 
of  making  a  transition  to  the  Supreme  Being 
from  the  physical  laws  of  the  universe  by  the 
aid  of  this  principle  of  causation.  He  finds 
the  law — every  effect  must  have  a  cause — to  in- 
volve : — The  duality  of  all  facts,  each  being 
separated  into  outward  expression  and  inward 
force.  The  exact  equivalence  of  each  cause  and 
its  corresponding  effect.  The  uniformity  of 
nature  as  a  combination  of  causes.  And,  also, 
the  unbroken  continuity  of  causes  and  effects 
in  their  several  series. 

Such   an  idea  of  causation   fails   utterly  of 
affording  any  proof  of  the  existence  of  God. 
*  Natural  Theology. 


ARGUMENTS  FOR  THE  BEING  OF  GOD.        53 

However  far  back  we  trace  the  connection  of 
causes  and  effects,  we  shall  find  no  change  in 
the  form  of  the  facts,  and  we  shall  be  no  nearer 
their  ultimate  explanation.  If  at  any  point  we 
arbitrarily  suspend  the  investigation  and  as- 
sume or  postulate  a  First  Cause,  we  destroy 
the  very  principle  of  causation  which  we  have 
accepted  and  upon  which  we  depend  for  our 
conclusion ;  and  such  a  First  Cause  "  can  be 
neither  less  nor  more  than  an  expression  of  all 
the  causes  which  flow  from  it."  We  must 
entirely  fail  of  finding  a  Supreme  Being. 

We  are  thoroughly  persuaded  that  things 
are  united  by  causal  relations  and  that  every 
efPect  involves  a  sufficient  cause,  but  we  are 
at  the  same  time  utterly  unable  to  transcend 
the  physical  process  in  the  application  of  the 
law  of  causation  and  arrive  at  the  beino-  of  God. 
In  order  to  discover  the  evidences  of  a  mind, 
presiding  over  and  acting  through  the  universe, 
we  need  to  look  more  broadly  upon  its  facts. 

If  we  find  them  to  be  concurrent  and  con- 
structive, if  these  efficient  causes,  working 
under  general  laws,  are  busy  working  out  def- 
inite and  comprehensive  ends,  we  can  assert 
the  existence  of  final  causes,  and  thus,  in  these 


64        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

clear  manifestations  of  the  action  of  mind  and 
its  prevailing,  determining  inflnence,  find  un- 
mistakable indications  of  the  presence  and 
activity  of  the  Supreme  Being.  Prof.  Bascom 
asserts  ^  that  Evolution  must  exclude  all  final 
causes.  "  Efficient  causes,  existing  as  eternal 
forces,  control  all  things.  The  energies  of  the 
Universe,  like  those  of  a  torrent,  come  pouring 
out  of  the  past  and  simply  spread  out  and  over 
the  future  as  an  open  field.  Guidance,  di- 
rection, shaping  conditions  of  all  sorts  are  al- 
ready within  them.  They  neither  call  for  nor 
are  capable  of  any  modification  toward  any  end 
whatever."  Dr.  McCosh,  however,  does  not 
share  in  this  view,  but  has  said  in  a  recent 
article'"^  that: — "It  is  generally  admitted  by 
evolutionists,  by  none  more  fully  than  Prof. 
Huxley,  that  the  theory  of  Evolution  does  not 
undermine  or  interfere  in  any  way  with  the 
doctrine  of  Final  Cause."  Indeed,  it  would 
seem  that  the  doctrine  of  Evolution  was  cal- 
culated to  afford  most  powerful  support  to  this 
doctrine,  for  it  endeavors  to  combine  and 
comprehend  all  the  phenomena  of  the  universe 
under  one  conception,  in  one  system.  It  is  a 
»  Natural  Theology.  '  Independent,  Oct.  10th,  1889. 


ARGUMENTS  FOB  THE  BEING  OF  GOD.         55 

system  o£  orderly  development,  the  complex 
from  the  simple,  along  well  defined  lines,  in 
accordance  with  universal  laws. 

Divine  action  or  interference  from  without 
may  not  be  required  hy  this  theory,  but  the 
continual  presence  of  the  Divine  potency  and 
energy,  and  the  constant  direction  of  the 
Divine  will  is  a  necessary  assumption,  if  Ave 
are  to  understand  or  account  for  its  progress 
and  processes.  Nothing  less  than  the  assump- 
tion of  an  Immanent  God  can  explain  the 
orderly  development  of  the  universe,  the  exist- 
ence of  efficient  causes,  of  all-embracing  and 
controlling  laws,  and  their  unvarying  potency 
and  consistence.  Efficient  causes  and  universal 
laws  cannot  be  considered  the  final  and  basal 
reality  of  the  universe  ;  they  in  turn  require 
explanation. 

No  comprehensive  and  intelligent  inquiry 
into  the  structure  of  the  universe  can  fail  in 
the  discovery  of  final  causes  ;  Evolution  gives 
abundant  evidence  of  their  existence  ;  and  they 
involve  a  belief  in  God. 

It  is  a  singular  fact,  however,^  "  that  when- 
ever we   find  out   how   anything   is   done,  our 
1  Frances  Power  Cobbe  :  Darwinism  in  Morals. 


56        EVOLUTION  AND  TUE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

first  conclusion  seems  to  be  that  God  did  not 
do  it.  No  matter  how  wonderful,  how  beauti- 
ful, how  infinitely  complex  and  delicate  has 
been  the  machinery  which  has  w^orked,  perhaps 
for  centuries,  perhaps  for  millions  of  ages,  to 
bring  about  some  beneficent  result, — if  we  can 
but  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  wheels,  its  divine 
character  disappears.  The  machinery  did  it 
all.  It  would  be  altogether  superfluous  to  look 
within." 

3.  If  we  now  turn  to  the  details  of  the  ar- 
gument for  the  being  of  God  drawn  from  the 
evidences  of  Design  in  the  universe,  Ave  shall 
find  that  the  doctrine  of  Evolution  renders 
necessary  a  complete  change  in  the  point  of 
view  from  which  the  facts  which  enter  into 
this  argument  are  to  be  regarded  ;  and,  at  the 
same  time,  that  it  largely  broadens  the  scope 
of  the  argument  and  strengthens  its  validity. 
With  the  old  view  of  the  immediate  and  special 
creation  of  the  various  species  and  forms  of 
life,  as  found  now  upon  the  earth,  the  argu- 
ment was  based  upon  the  evidences  of  desio-n 
seen  in  each  species  or  individual,  looking  upon 
it  as  a  finished  and  complete  product  of  creative 
wisdom. 


ARGUMENTS  FOR  THE  BEING  OF  GOD.        57 

With  the   new  view,  the  view  of  Evolution, 
which  often  discovers  rudimentary  organs  hav- 
ing no  present  use,  and  even  dangerous  to  the 
health    and   life  of   the    organism,   and  which 
considers  no  form  of  structure  or  Hfe  as  com- 
plete or  perfect  in  itself,  but,  the  rather,  a  step 
in   or  a  stage   of  the  process  of  development, 
which  is  still  going  on  and   has  by  no  means 
reached  its  goal  and  consummation,  and  which 
teaches    that    these    very    adaptations    of    the 
organs    and  organism,   which  have   been  sup- 
posed to  afford  evidence  of  design,  are   them- 
selves, in  a  measure,  at  least,  due  to  the  influ- 
ence and  effect    of  the   environment  upon  the 
organism,  surely  we  must  change  the  form  of 
the  argument,  if  it  is  to  have  any  longer   force 
or  validity.     This  necessary  change,   however, 
instead  of  destroying  the  force  of  the  argu- 
ment, as  it  was   originally  presented,  greatly 
broadens  its  scope  and  application,  and  corre- 
spondingly strengthens  it. 

It  is  now  no  longer  an  argument  based  upon 
an  adaptation  of  special  organs  to  special  re- 
quirements of  circumstance  and  environment, 
thus  depending  for  its  convincing  power  in  a 
great  measure   upon  the   suppositions  and   as- 


58        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOB, 

sumptions  of  the  individual  observer,  but  it  de- 
pends upon  the  whole  determining'  web  of  de- 
sign and  purpose  which  may  be  traced  through 
the  entire  fabric  of  creation.  It  is  no  lono^er 
an  induction  from  the  special  or  particular, 
but  it  is  the  convincing  and  unavoidable  con- 
clusion and  teaching  of  the  tendency  and 
course  of  the  whole  process  of  development. 
In  other  Avords,  Evolution  itself  is  one  all- 
embracing  system  of  design,  which  requires  for 
its  explanation  nothing  less  than  the  existence 
of  the  Immanent  God.  Evolution,  instead  of 
destroying  this  argument,  takes  it  up  out  of 
the  region  of  supposition,  assumption  and 
special  pleading,  and  places  it  upon  the  secure 
foundation  of  universal  and  all-controllino*  law. 

This  fact,  and  the  consequent  gain  to  Chris- 
tian Theism  coming  so  unexpectedly  from  this 
source,  is  being  fully  recognized  on  all  sides 
by  Christian  thinkers  : — 

Says  Dr  McCosh :  ^  — "  The  proof  from  design 
proceeds  on  the  observation  of  things  as  adapted 
one  to  another  to  accomplish  a  good  end,  and 
is  equally  valid  whether  we  suppose  adjust- 
ment to  have  been  made  at  once  or  produced 
^  The  Religious  Aspect  of  Evolution. 


ARGUMENTS  FOR  THE  BEING  OF  GOD.        59 

by  a  process  which  has  been  going  on  for 
millions  of  years.  There  is  proof  of  a  design- 
ing mind  in  the  eye  as  it  is  now  presented  to 
lis,  with  its  coats  and  humors,  rods  and  cones, 
retina  and  nerves,  all  co-operating  with  each 
other  and  with  the  beams  that  fall  upon  them 
from  some  millions  of  miles  away.  But  there 
is  further  proof  in  the  agents  having  been 
brought  into  relation  by  long  processes  all 
tending  to  the  one  end.  I  value  a  gift  received 
from  the  hand  of  a  father  ;  but  I  appreciate 
it  more  when  I  learn  that  the  father  has  been 
using  many  and  varied  means   to  earn  it  for 


me. 


Dr.  Munger,  in  an  article  upon  "Evolu- 
tion and  the  Faith,"  ^  asserts  that, — "  Evolution 
strengthens  the  argument  from  design.  This 
argument  may  be  based  upon  the  course  of 
civilization,  or  on  the  structure  of  the  eye,  or 
on  the  working  of  love.  Paley's  argument,  as 
Bishop  Temple  has  well  shown,  stands,  with 
slight  modifications,  on  as  strong  a  basis  as 
ever.  But  if  we  can  look  at  the  universe  both 
as  a  whole  and  in  all  its  processes  and  in  all 
ages,   and    find   one   principle  working  every- 

1  Century,  vol.  32,  page  108. 


GO         EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

where,  binding"  together  all  things,  linking  one 
jDroeess  to  another  with  increasing  purpose,  and 
steadily  pressing  towards  a  full  revelation  of 
God's  goodness,  we  find  the  argument  strength- 
ened by  as  much  as  we  have  enlarged  the  field 
of  its  illustration.  But  if  one  part  of  the 
universe  is  abruptly  shut  off  from  another,  if 
no  stronger  bond  of  unity  be  assigned  to  it 
than  that  of  creative  energy,  and  only  the 
near-lying  fields  of  design  are  used,  then  the 
argument  is  abridged  and  may  even  fall  short 
of  an  absolute  conclusion." 

H.  W.  Beecher,  in  his  sermon  on  "  Divine 
Providence  and  Desi2:n,"  ^  while  showino^  that 
the  argument  may  sometimes  fail  when  applied 
to  single  acts  or  phenomena,  concludes  that, 
"  If  single  acts  would  evince  design,  how  much 
more  a  vast  universe,  that  by  inherent  laws 
gradually  builded  itself,  and  then  created  its 
own  plants  and  animals,  a  universe  so  adjusted 
that  it  left  by  the  way  the  poorest  things,  and 
steadily  wrought  toward  more  complex,  inge- 
nious, and  beautiful  results  !  Who  designed 
this  mighty  machine,  created  matter,  gave  to  it 
its  laws,  and  impressed  upon  it  that  tendency 
^  Evolution  and  Religion. 


ARGUMENTS  FOR  THE  BEING  OF  GOD.         61 

which  has  brought  forth  the  ahnost  infinite 
results  on  the  globe,  and  wrought  them  into 
a  perfect  system?  Design  by  wholesale  is 
grander  than  design  by  retail." 

4.  The  Moral  Argument  depends  upon  the 
facts  of  man's  own  nature  as  they  are  revealed 
to  him  in  consciousness.  The  world  shows 
traces  of  intelligence,  but  they  can  only  be 
recognized  by  an  intelligent  being,  and  man  is 
directly  conscious  of  the  possession  and  per- 
sonification of  intelligence  within  himself. 

While  the  whole  course  of  nature  seems 
bounded  by  the  stern  necessity  of  unchanghig 
law  and  determined  thereby,  man  is  conscious 
in  himself  of  freedom  developed  out  of,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  inhering  in,  necessity. 

Moreover,  man  also  finds  in  himself  a  sense 
of  right  and  wrong,  entirely  distinct  from  that 
which  is  true,  agreeable  or  expedient ;  independ- 
ent of  any  influence  of  the  intellect  or  will, 
and  asserting  an  authority  which  is  unicpie 
and  which  cannot  be  explained  as  being  derived 
from  himself.  These  facts  of  man's  nature, 
indicating  as  they  do  the  existence  of  a  soul 
differing  in  all  its  distinctive  capabilities,  as- 
pirations  and  necessities  from  the  surrounding 


62        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

world,  require  for  their  explanation  an  intelli- 
gent, voluntary  and  moral  Divine  Personality, 
and  give  evidence  of  His  presence  and  potency. 
Viewing  man  in  his  relation  to  the  family  and 
the  state,  this  argument  has  also  a  historical 
side. 

In  these  lines  we  can  trace  the  realization  of 
the  moral  or  ethical  idea  throuo-hout  the 
development  and  organization  of  society.  It 
thus  becomes  an  appeal  to  the  universal  con- 
sciousness of  mankind,  as  manifested  in  the 
establishment  and  development  of  human  in- 
stitutions, and,  as  an  unconscious  and  universal 
testimony  to  the  presence  and  power  of  ethical 
ideas  and  ideals,  it  has  great  weight  and 
evidences  the  presence  and  activity  of  God 
in  the  Avhole  course  of  human  life  :  ^ — "  This 
process  of  the  historical  world  Avhich,  in 
the  realization  of  an  ethical  life,  tends  to- 
wards righteousness  and  freedom,  must  pro- 
ceed from  a  force  in  which  subsist  qualities 
of  righteousness  and  freedom.  But  these  are 
qualities  of  will.  They  are  the  very  elements 
of  personality.  The  energy  working  in  right- 
eousness and  towards  freedom    cannot    be   an 

'  Mulford  :  The  Republic  of  God. 


ARGUMENTS  FOR  THE  BEING  OF  GOD.        63 

indeterminate  force  or  thing,  and  cannot  be 
determined  by  contingency,  as  a  thing  in 
relation  with  a  thing." 

There  is  nothing  in  Evokition  to  impair  the 
validity  of  this  argument.  The  doctrine  of 
Evolution  does  away  with  no  one  of  the  facts 
of  consciousness. 

On  the  contrary,  Evolution  must  accept  all 
these  facts  and  find  a  place  for  them  in  its 
philosophy. 

Evolution  alone  can  account  for  man's  con- 
nection with  the  lower  forms  of  life  and  sub- 
jection to  the  lowest  conditions  of  earthly  ex- 
istence, while  at  the  same  time  according  him 
a  position  representative  of  the  highest  forms  of 
life,  with  the  prospect  of  further  development 
and  advance  in  the  line  of  the  moral  and  the 
spiritual.  Formerly  man's  sujieriority  over 
nature  was  assumed  on  the  basis  of  the  facts 
of  consciousness,  and  he  was  supposed  to  have 
been  the  product  of  a  distinct  creation,  but 
Evolution  regards  him  as  the  representative 
of  that  type  toward  which  all  the  pro- 
cesses of  creation  have  been  tending,  and  for 
whose  realization  all  that  preceded  has  been 
but    the    preliminary    and    preparatory    stage. 


G4        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

With  the  doctrine  of  Evohition  the  universe  is 
one  ;  the  course  of  human  history  continuous ; 
while  the  highest  stage  of  development  is  the 
spiritual  and  moral,  and  the  realization  of 
ethical  ideals  is  the  end  and  aim  of  the 
whole  process  of  development. 

Evolution  thus  connects  the  Moral  and 
Historical  Argument  with  that  of  Design, 
giving  to  the  latter  a  new  breadth  of  meaning 
and  application,  and  to  the  former  a  correspond- 
ing debt  of  significance  as  indicative  of  that 
which  is  the  most  essential  in  the  Divine 
character  and  j^^'poses — the  moral  and  the 
spiritual,  grounded  upon  and  developed  in 
the  voluntary  and  personal. 

The  connection  of  God  with  the  world  being: 
no  longer  merely  assumed  on  the  basis  of  a 
formal  logic ;  but  accepted  as  a  fact  most 
essential  to  any  understanding  or  explanation 
of  the  being,  beginning,  development  and  prog- 
ress of  the  universe,  both  material  and  spirit- 
ual ;  we  no  longer  depend  upon  special  and 
isolated  facts  to  establish  the  reality  of  the 
Divine  existence,  nor  stake  our  faith  upon  any 
conclusions  obtained  by  the  processes  of  human 


ARGUMENTS  FOR  THE  BEING  OF  GOD.        65 

The  visible  universe — "  The  Time-vesture  o£ 
the  Eternal ;  "  law  and  its  requirements ;  life 
and  its  potencies ;  mind,  intelligence,  morality 
and  personality;  and  the  whole  process  of 
development  as  it  advances  toward  the  realiza- 
tion of  high  and  spiritual  ideals — these  are  our 
evidences  of  the  existence  of  a  supreme  and 
underlying  Reality,  and  in  these  we  would  fain 
see  manifestations  of  the  presence  and  activity 
of  the  Immanent  God,  of  whom  the  apostle 
said : — 

"  In  Him  was  life  :  and  the  life  was  the  lio-ht 

o 

of  men." 


66       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 


CHAPTER  V. 

EVOLUTION  AND  THE  BENEFICENCE  OF  GOD. 

The  question  of  the  beneficence,  or  good- 
ness, of  God  ranks  in  imi3ortance  with  that  of 
His  existence,  and  the  one  seems  inseparably 
connected  with  the  other. 

On  the  one  hand,  we  may  say  that  a  Being, 
complete  in  power  and  wisdom,  such  as  the 
preceding  arguments  have  revealed  to  us  as 
present  in  and  presiding  over  the  universe,  must 
also  be  perfect  in  goodness,  and  the  logic  of 
our  position  may  seem  invincible. 

And  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  when  we  try 
to  take  the  direct  testimony  of  nature  and  of 
human  life  and  experience  as  to  what  kind  of 
a  Being  it  is  who  rules  the  universe  and  regu- 
lates the  course  of  human  life  as  well,  there 
are  many  considerations,  which,  especially  when 
viewed  from  the  standpoint  of  science,  go  to  cast 


THE  BENEFICENCE  OF  GOD.  67 

doubt  upon  the  benevolence  of  the  Creator  and 
Ruler ;  and  this  doubt  involves  all  the  evi- 
dences of  the  presence  of  God  in  the  world 
in  darkness,  and  its  natural  result  or  outcome 
is  nothinof  short  of  atheism  ;  the  formal  deduc- 
tions  of  logic  having  little  power  to  withstand 
arofuments  drawn  from  the  observed  course  of 
nature  and  the  dark  side  of  human  life  and 
experience  which  appeals  so  directly  and 
strongly  to  the  sensibilities  of  the  observer." 

A  recent  writer  ^  has  asked  the  question, — 
"  Is  God  good  ?  "  and  gives,  in  answering  it,  a 
strong  statement  of  the  dark  side  of  the  prob- 
lem, that  the  atheist  might  not  be  able  longer 
to  say, — "  Those  who  believe  in  a  God  of  love 
must  close  their  eyes  to  the  phenomena  of  life, 
or  garble  the  universe  to  suit  their  theory." 

Nature  is  found  to  be  "  orderly,  wise, 
beautiful,  mysterious,  terrible,  remorseless, 
cruel,"  or,  as  Stuart  Mill  has  said,  "  Nature 
impales  men,  breaks  them  as  if  on  the  wheel, 
casts  them  to  be  devoured  by  wild  beasts, 
burns  them  to  death,  crushes  them  with  stones 
like  the  first  Christian  martyrs,  starves  them 
with  hunger,  freezes   them   with  cold,  poisons 

'  E.  S.  Phelps  :    The  Struggle  for  Immortality. 


68        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

them  by  the  quick  or  slow  venom  of  her  ex- 
halations, and  has  hundreds  of  other  hideous 
deaths  in  reserve,  such  as  the  ingenious  cru- 
elty of  a  Nabis  or  a  Domitian  never  sur- 
passed. All  this  Nature  does  with  the  most 
supercilious  disregard  both  of  mercy  and  of 
justice,  emptying  her  shafts  upon  the  best  and 
noblest  indifferently  with  the  meanest  and  the 
worst." 

In  the  course  of  human  life  and  the  experi- 
ences of  society,  suffering,  injustice  and  op- 
pression are  found  to  largely  predominate, 
and  the  goodness  of  God  is  involved  in  a  dark- 
ness of  misery  and  mystery  which  faith  and 
revelation  alone  can  penetrate. 

Without  doubt  the  conclusions  of  this 
writer  Avill  seem  to  many  to  be  extreme  and 
based  upon  only  a  partial  survey  of  the  facts 
which  have  a  bearing  upon  the  case.  It  is 
true,  nevertheless,  that  Natural  Theology 
must  ever  fail  of  furnishins:  a  clear  and  in- 
dubitable  demonstration  of  the  ji'oodness  of 
God  because  of  the  necessary  limitations  of 
its  view.  The  mystery  of  the  universe  and  its 
working  is  too  deep  for  the  human  mind  to 
penetrate,  or  the  human  mind  itself  is  at  pres- 


THE  BENEFICENCE  OF  GOD.  69 

ent  unable  to  solve  the  problem.  The  most 
that  we  can  presume  to  ask  from  science  is 
that  it  should  not  involve  the  problem  in 
greater  obscurity,  or  increase  the  many  and 
formidable  difficulties  and  objections  which 
must  occur  to  any  thoughtful  mind,  that  looks 
out  upon  the  universe  and  the  workings  of 
society  with  sympathy  for  all  suffering  and 
indignation  for  every  wrong  and  injustice,  real 
or  imaginary.  There  seems  to  be  nothing  in 
the  doctrine  of  Evolution  calculated  to  aggra- 
vate this  difficult  problem  :  on  the  contrary, 
while  it  cannot  bring  us  directly  into  the  pres- 
ence of  the  God  of  love  or  entirely  dissipate  the 
clouds  which  for  the  time  seem  to  darken  the 
brightness  of  the  manifestations  of  His  benefi- 
cence, and  while  it  is  obliged,  as  all  scientific 
theories  and  all  theologies  as  well,  to  leave 
many  problems  unsolved,  it  suggests  many 
considerations  alleviating  the  difficulties,  and 
illustrates  in  many  ways  the  beneficence  of  the 
Creator. 

The  evolutionist  views  the  world  as  an  un- 
finished picture :  the  canvas  has  been  stretched 
— it  is  the  universe  of  nature  and  of  human 
life  :  the   colors,  of  sunshine  and  shadow,  of 


70       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

joy  and  sorrow,  of  evil  and  of  good,  are  ready 
mixed :  the  plan  and  general  purpose  of  this 
stupendous  study  may  be  faintly  discerned : 
but  there  is  still  much  of  obscurity  and  uncer- 
tainty, due  to  the  unfinished  state  of  the 
work :  and  only  he  who  knows  the  mind  of  the 
great  Artist  can,  even  in  imagination,  discern 
anything  of  the  details  or  comprehend  the 
glory  of  the  whole  :  to  all  others  it  is  one 
wilderness  of  color,  one  chaos  of  unintelligible 
form  and  feature. 

Man  himself  is  in  the  process  of  evolution  : 
he  stands  comparatively  at  the  beginning  of  a 
great  and  far-reaching  system  and  cannot, 
therefore,  be  expected  to  be  able  to  under- 
stand the  process  as  a  whole. 

The  development  and  realization  of  the 
moral  is  but  in  its  incipiency,  and  evils,  diffi- 
culties, and  delays  are  perhaps  characteristic  of 
the  early  dawn  of  a  day  which  may  soon 
exhibit  great  and  unexpected  gains,  unpre- 
cedented growth,  and  overwhelming  compensa- 
tions for  all  the  darkness  and  coldness  of  the 
early  morning. 

It  is  true  all  this  is,  in  a  great  measure, 
merely  the  hope  of  the  future  ;  but  it  is  a  well- 


THE  BENEFICENCE  OF  GOD.  71 

grounded  hope,  built  upon  the  development 
and  the  advancement  of  the  past,  and  in  har- 
mony with  the  evident  tendency  o£  the  pres- 
ent. I£  we  believe  the  end  of  all  develop- 
ment to  be  the  moral,  we  must  also  admit  that 
man  in  his  present  immaturity  can  hardly  be 
considered  a  competent  critic  of  comprehensive 
moral  discipline,  either  in  its  methods  or  ends. 
His  ideas  of  goodness,  even  while  he  is 
discussing  the  evidence  furnished  by  the  uni- 
verse of  the  goodness  of  God,  are  not  always 
by  any  means  consistent  or  satisfactory. 
Suffering  and  evil  are  not  necessarily  syno- 
nyms ;  nor  are  happiness  and  joy  the  only 
products  of  that  love  which  is  working  for 
moral  ends  and  attainments.  Moreover,  we 
ourselves  are  subject  to  moral  discipline,  and 
that  not  by  our  own  choice  or  election,  and 
"  all  chastening  seemeth  for  the  present  to  be 
not  joyous,  but  grievous :  yet  afterward  it 
yieldeth  peaceable  fruit  unto  them  that  have 
been  exercised  thereby,  even  the  fruit  of  right- 
eousness." 

Too  often  we  desire  pleasure  more  than 
virtue,  happiness  rather  than  holiness. 

In  our   attempts   to  understand   others  and 


72       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

appreciate  their  experiences,  we  are  obliged  to 
look  oil  from  the  outside,  seeing  only  the  hard 
conditions  which  appeal  to  our  sympathy  and 
compassion,  little  appreciating  the  inward  need 
or  understanding  the  true  and  loving  ministry 
which  seeks  the  development  of  the  good  rather 
than  the  maintenance  of  the  pleasant,  which 
would  establish  blessedness  in  the  place  of 
ha})piness,  and  lead  the  object  of  its  attention 
and  care  into  the  assured  and  permanent  joys 
of  the  higher  life,  even  at  the  expense  of  many 
of  the  pleasures  of  the  lower  existence. 

If  Ave  accept  the  idea  of  a  moral  system  and 
moral  discipline,  we  must  expect  that  in  the 
action  of  moral  laws  suffering  will  follow  sin 
as  its  penalty  unavoidably  :  and  such  suffering, 
while  evidencing  the  action  of  wise  and  benef- 
icent law  which  has  as  its  aim  the  development 
of  holiness,  cannot  be  considered  as  militating 
against  the  goodness  of  God;  indeed  it  must  be 
regarded  as  an  indication  of  the  wisdom  of  His 
love. 

Moreover,  it  is  more  than  probable  that  we 
exaggerate  the  amount  of  human  suffering,  in 
our  conceptions  of  it,  by  joining  to  and  pred- 
icating of  the   external  states  and  conditions 


THE  BENEFICENCE  OF  GOD.  73 

of  others  coming  under  our  observation,  our 
own  feeling",  or  the  feehngs  we  imagine  we 
shoukl  have  in  like  circumstances.  In  our  own 
experience  we  find  the  internal  and  the  external 
constantly  adjusting  themselves  to  each  other, 
and  so  producing  the  maximum  of  happiness 
with  the  minimum  of  pain.  The  most  intense 
suffering  is  produced  only  by  sudden  changes 
in  the  one  before  such  a  harmony  or  equilibrium 
is  approximated.  It  is  highly  probable  that 
the  sum  of  happiness,  or  of  sorrow,  in  the  life 
of  each  person  living,  in  each  period  of  history 
or  each  stage  of  civilization,  is  much  nearer 
equal  than  we  have  been  accustomed  to  sup- 
pose from  the  judgment  we  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  making  of  the  lot  and  experiences 
of  others,  on  the  basis  of  feelings  developed 
in  our  own  inner  lives  by  our  peculiar  and 
personal  experiences  and  environment. 

However  this  may  be,  it  is  clear  that  it  would 
be  unfair  to  assert  that  the  suffering  that  is 
incident  to  the  development  of  righteousness, 
necessary  as  a  spur  for  intellectual  groAvth, 
involved  in  the  realization  and  consciousness  of 
happiness  itself,  or  indeed  that  which  is  in- 
cident to  life   in   all  its   hio^her   and  worthier 


74       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

forms,  can,  in  any  way,  or  to  any  extent,  be 
opposed  to  the  conception  of  a  beneficent  God. 
On  the  contrary,  it  would  seem  that  much  of 
what  we  account  as  sulfering  had  clearly  its 
ministry  of  mercy  and  blessing-,  and  might  be 
given  a  place  in  the  plan  and  administration  of 
the  God  of  love  and  of  g-race. 

Besides  the  above-mentioned  considerations, 
mainly  preliminary  to  any  direct  attempt  to 
adduce  proof  of  the  beneficence  of  God,  which 
are  inferred  from  or  strengthened  by  the  doctrine 
of  Evolution,  this  doctrine  is  also  of  value  to 
us  as  affording  direct  and  positive  evidence 
upon  this  subject.  Evolution  is  a  doctrine  of 
universal,  all-embracing  law  ;  and  it  is  clearly 
an  evidence  of  beneficence  that  the  universe 
should  be  governed  by  law,  and  that  in  its 
unfolding  one  stage  or  phase  should  follow 
another  in  the  course  of  an  orderly  development 
and  progression,  rather  than  that  all  should  be 
determined  by  the  caprice  of  chance  or  ih^ 
decree  of  an  arbitrary  fiat.  Surely  the  method 
of  Evolution  is  well  suited  to  man  and  his 
faculties.  Man,  gathering  experience  from  the 
past,  looks  forward  to  and  provides  for  the 
future.     If  it  were  not  for  the  uniformity  and 


THE  BENEFICENCE  OF  GOD.  75 

consistency  of  the  laws  of  nature,  it  would  not 
be  possible  for  him  to  plan  or  act  ;  nor  could 
he  maintain  his  own  existence  for  any  consider- 
able period  of  time. 

If  there  were  no  uniform  laws  and  invari- 
able methods  of  procedure  in  the  course  of 
nature,  man  could  not,  as  now,  by  putting 
himself  in  harmony  with  them  and   by  taking 

advantao[-e  of  their  observed   methods  of  work- 
er 

ing,  achieve  any  success  or  make  any  advance- 
ment in  any  line  of  endeavor,  whether  physical, 
mental  or  moral. 

Moreover,  the  extended  interaction  and  com- 
bination of  various  laws  produce  as  a  resultant 
a  chance  element  which  is  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance in  relieving  the  routine  and  monotony 
of  existence,  and  in  stimulating  mental  develop- 
ment as  well. 

With  the  consciousness  of  our  own  freedom, 
guaranteed  to  us  by  the  requirements  of  the 
higher  and  spiritual  law,  there  is  no  reason 
why  we  should  fear  the  tyranny  of  law,  or 
hesitate  in  acknowledofino^  its  benefits. 

If  it  is  regarded  by  us  as  the  expression  of 
the  will  of  the  Immanent  God,  we  must  rejoice 
in  its  supremacy  and  prevalence  and  regard  its 


76       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

workings  with  confidence.  The  laws  which 
govern  the  universe  are  all  constructive,  and  in 
their  action  they  express  a  prevailing  benig- 
nant purpose.  Not  that  evil  and  suffering  do 
not  follow  in  the  train  of  law,  or  rather  from 
its  transgression. 

But  even  these  untoward  results  are  neces- 
sary to  call  attention  to  the  meaning  and  scope 
of  the  law,  that  its  true  purpose  may  be  seen 
and  that  man  may  be  able  thus  intelligently  to 
take  advantage  of  its  behests  for  the  attainment 
of  valuable  and  beneficent  results ;  and  the  law 
itself  has  only  reference  to  order  and  well- 
being. 

The  laws  which  govern  the  action  of  fire, 
steam  and  electricity,  and  which  regulate  the 
seasons,  admit  of  much  devastation  and  loss, 
when  transgressed  or  disregarded,  but  they  are 
most  serviceable  to  man  when  properly  used, 
and  upon  them  depends  much  of  the  glory  of 
the  achievements  of  our  civilization  and  the 
productiveness  and  beauty  of  the  world  we 
inhabit. 

It  is  only  under  the  action  of  and  in  har- 
mony with  appropriate  laws  that  health  and 
mental  and  spiritual  activity  are  achieved  and 


THE  BENEFICENCE  OF  GOD.  77 

maintained,  and  thus  a  vast  amount  o£  happi- 
ness is  enjoyed :  while  it  is  the  transgression  of 
these  same  laws  that  produces  sickness,  igno- 
rance and  vice,  and  thus  occasions  so  much  of 
the  pain  and  suffering  of  the  world. 

As  these  laws  come  to  be  better  understood, 
even  as  a  better  comprehension  of  them  is 
forced  upon  the  human  race  by  the  penalties 
which  their  transgression  exacts,  we  may  ex- 
pect to  see  man  ever  increasingly  take  advan- 
tage of  their  beneficent  intent ;  a  larger  result- 
ant physical,  mental  and  moral  robustness, 
and  an  ever  increasing  preponderance  of  happi- 
ness and  pleasure  in  the  world. 

The  method  of  Evolution  is  also  a  beneficent 
one,  because  it  implies  a  progressive  advance. 
It  is  true  retrogression  and  failure  are  some- 
times found  ;  but  one  form  of  life  only  fails 
that  it  may  give  place  to  a  better  and  stronger 
one  ;  and  the  general  course  and  tendency  of 
the  process  has  been  from  the  first  that  of  a 
steady  advance.  The  "  survival  of  the  fittest " 
is  the  law  of  this  development,  and  this  insures 
that,  while  many  forms  of  life  shall  each  have 
their  day  and  opportunity,  the  weak  and  useless 
shall  be  left  behind,  while  only  the  strong  and 


78        EVOLUTION  AND  TUE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

capcable  shall  remain  to  carry  forward  the  pro- 
cess of  Evolution  with  ever  advancing  stej^s  to 
higher  levels  of  attainment. 

The  bearing  of  this  doctrine  upon  the  ques- 
tion under  consideration  depends  entirely  upon 
our  definition  of  "  the  fittest."  Fortunately 
Evolution  has  itself  defined  this  word  for 
us  in  the  unmistakable  terms  of  fact,  and  this 
definition  agrees  well  with  the  intuitions  of 
our  hio'her  natures.  The  o-oal  of  the  evolu- 
tionary  process  is  not  huge  proportion,  or  great 
physical  strength,  nor  yet  superior  cunning. 
These  qualities  were  found  in  the  earlier  forms, 
which  were  soon  forced  to  give  place  to  other 
and  more  enduring  species. 

No  beauty  of  foliage  or  flower  in  the  vege- 
table kingdom  ;  no  glory  of  blended  colors  in 
the  plumage  of  the  bird  ;  no  speed  in  locomo- 
tion, no  grace  of  movement  and  no  strength 
of  bodily  organs  in  the  brute  could  satisfy  the 
demands  of  the  evolutionary  process.  Man  is 
therefore  developed,  gifted  above  all  that  pre- 
ceded him  with  that  intelliofence  wdiich  ensures 
his  rule  over  all  nature,  animate  and  inanimate, 
and  continually  demonstrates  his  fitness  and 
ability   to  survive  over   all  preceding  forms  of 


THE  BENEFICENCE  OF  GOD.  79 

life.  But  the  process  of  differentiation  and 
development  does  not  stop  here.  The  sifting 
process  still  goes  on  among  humanity  itself 
without  cessation  or  abatement,  and  many  there 
are,  individuals  and  nations  as  well,  that  are 
left  by  the  way  in  the  onward  march  of  civili- 
zation and  progress,  while  others  press  forward 
and,  with  glorious  achievements,  demonstrate 
their  fitness  to  survive  and  oive  tone  and 
direction  to  the  coming  generations.  Vice, 
ignorance  and  barbarism  are  the  qualities  or 
forces  which  hinder  the  onward  movement  of 
society  and  destroy  the  life  and  influence  of 
nations  and  of  men  ;  while  virtue  and  intelli- 
gence are  the  qualities  which  alone  have  power 
to  preserve  and  energize.  In  the  history  of  the 
race,  whether  mankind  be  considered  individ- 
ually or  collectively,  it  is  the  wise  and  good 
that  are  found  to  survive  and  maintain  their 
power  and  influence  ;  they  are  the  fittest. 

"  Righteousness  exalteth  a  nation  :  but  sin 
is  a  reproach  to  any  people."  This  is  the 
teaching  of  Revelation  and  of  Evolution  as 
well.  It  would  thus  seem  that  the  law  of  tlie 
"  survival  of  the  fittest "  is  capable  of  furnish- 
ing us  most  trustworthy  evidence  that  He  who 


80       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOB. 

presides  over  the  process  of  Evolution,  and  the 
expression  of  whose  will  it  is,  is  beneficent 
and  intends  the  final  triumph  of  righteousness, 
and  is  working  throughout  every  stage  of 
human  progress  for  the  consummation  of  His 
design  and  the  full  manifestation  of  His  plan 
of  love. 

And  yet,  wdien  we  look  at  the  animal  king- 
dom, the  struggle  for  existence  involved  in 
this  beneficent  law  has  another  and  an  exceed- 
ingly dark  side  which  many  find  hard  to  rec- 
oncile with  the  goodness  of  God. 

This  objection  or  difficulty  has  been  most 
forcibly  stated  by  a  writer  quoted  by  A.  R. 
Wallace  in  his  "  Darwinism  "  : — "  Pain,  grief, 
disease  and  death,  are  these  the  inventions  of 
a  loving  God?  That  no  animal  shall  rise  to 
excellence  except  by  being  fatal  to  the  life  of 
others,  is  this  the  law  of  a  kind  Creator  ?  It 
is  useless  to  say  that  pain  has  its  benevolence, 
and  that  massacre  has  its  mercy,  why  is  it  so 
ordained  that  bad  should  be  the  raw  material 
of  good  ?  Pain  is  not  the  less  pain  because  it 
is  useful ;  murder  is  not  the  less  murder  be- 
cause it  is  conducive  to  development.  Here  is 
blood  upon  the  hand  still,  and  all  the  perfumes 


THE  BENEFICENCE  OF  GOD.  81 

of  Arabia  will  not  sweeten  it."  Mr.  Wallace, 
however,  after  carefully  examining  the  objec- 
tion, concludes,—"  That  the  popular  idea  of 
the  struggle  for  existence  entailing  misery  and 
pain  on  the  animal  world  is  the  very  reverse 
of  the  truth.  What  it  really  brings  about  is, 
the  maximum  of  life,  with  the  minimum  of 
suffering  and  pain.  Given  the  necessity  of 
death  and  reproduction — and  without  these 
there  could  have  been  no  progressive  develop- 
ment of  the  organic  world — it  is  difficult  even 
to  imagine  a  system  by  which  a  greater  balance 
of  happiness  would  have  been  secured." 

Moreover,  it  is  doubtless  true  that  we  habit- 
ually exaggerate  the  amount  of  suffering  en- 
dured by  animals. 

With  our  nervous  organism,  differing  greatly 
in  extent  and  sensitiveness  from  any  found  in 
the  animal  kingdom,  and  to  an  extent  that 
cannot  well  be  exaggerated  from  that  found 
in  the  generality  of  animals  ;  even  when  we 
attempt  to  make  allowance  for  these  differences, 
we  are  likely  to  magnify,  out  of  all  due  pro- 
portion, the  sufferings  of  animals,  judging  of 
them  by  our  own  experiences.  Animal  life  is 
a  Hfe  of  instinct,  where  stimuh   largely  take 


6 


82       EVOLUTION  AND  TEE  IMMANENT  GOB. 

the  place  of  sensationsj  and  consciousness  is  a 
term  of  no  real  significance.  Thus  brute  life 
is  free  from  a  very  large  portion  of  the  suffer- 
ing incident  to  the  life  of  man.  Intellectual 
suffering^  :  the  anxieties  of  foresiofht  and  the 
terrors  of  apprehension  must  also  be  foreign 
to  the  experience  of  the  animal :  and  these 
comprise  the  greater,  or,  at  least,  the  most  acute 
and  oppressive,  part  of  the  sufferings  of  man- 
kind. 

The  problem  of  the  world's  suffering  has 
never  obtained  a  complete  and  satisfactory 
solution. 

The  old  puzzle  of  Theology  and  of  Phi- 
losophy, as  to  the  origin  and  ministry  of  evil 
and  suffering,  comes  to  us  now  in  a  scientific 
form,  and,  Avliile  Evolution  is  not  able  to  remove 
every  difficulty,  it  does  not  complicate  the 
problem,  and,  on  the  whole,  it  may  be  said  to 
powerfully  aid  and  reinforce  our  conception  of 
an  Immanent  God  whose  beneficence  is  illus- 
trated in  the  process  of  development,  and  will, 
we  believe,  become  ever  increasingly  manifest 
as  we  come  more  fully  to  understand  that  pro- 
cess, and  as  its  ideals  and  aims  are  more  fully 
realized. 


TUE  BENEFICENCE  OF  GOD.  83 

As  we  look  upon  the  universe  to  catch  some 
reflection  o£  the  Divine  glory  and  beneficence, 
we  find  tliat  we  have  neither  the  breadth  o£ 
viev^  nor  strength  and  ^penetration  o£  vision  to 
make  out  more  than  the  mo*>t  naked  outlines 
o£  the  mani£estation  which  we  believe  to  lie 
there  reflected  : — "  For  now  we  see  in  a  mirror, 
darkly  (in  a  riddle)."  But  we  are  glad  £or 
what  we  are  permitted  to  see,  £or  it  strengthens 
our  £aith  and  hope  and  enables  us  to  wait 
with  more  confidence  £or  that  time  when  we 
shall  see  all  reality  "  £ace  to  £ace." 

"  For  we  know  in  part,  and  we  prophesy  in 
part  :  but  when  that  which  is  per£ect  is  come, 
that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away." 


84       EVOLUTION  AND  TEE  IMMANENT  GOD, 


CHAPTER  VI. 

EVOLUTION    AND    REVELATION.*     THE    INCARNA- 
TION. 

All  Eevelation  may  be  said  to  be  included 
and  to  find  its  highest  and  most  complete  ex- 
pression in  the  Incarnation.  In  all  distinct- 
ively Christian  thought  Christ  is  the  centre  and 
moving  power  of  the  universe;  the  explana- 
tion and  ground  of  existence  of  all  things; 
the  source  of  all  life  : — 

"  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word.  .  .  .  All 
things  were  made  by  him  ;  and  without  him 
was  not  anvthino^  made  that  hath  been  made. 
.  .  .  There  was  the  true  light,  even  the  light 
which  llghteth  every  man,  coming  into  the 
world.  .  .  .  And  the  Word  became  flesh,  and 
dwelt  among  us  (and  we  beheld  his  glory, 
glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  from  the 
Father),  full  of  grace  and  truth." 


THE  INCARNATIOX.  85 

These  words  of  the  Apostle  John  may  be 
taken  as  a  synopsis  of  the  course  of  Divine 
Revelation,  or  the  Divine  manifestation  in  the 
history  of  the  v^'orld. 

Looking  merely  at  the  Revelation  given  to 
us  in  the  Bible,  the  author  of  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews  tells  us  that,  "  God,  having  of 
old  time  spoken  unto  the  fathers  in  the  proph- 
ets by  divers  portions  and  in  divers  manners, 
hath  at  the  end  of  these  days  spoken  unto  us 
in  his  Son." 

The  Incarnation  may,  therefore,  be  consid- 
ered as  the  consummation  of  Revelation  and 
as  inclusive  of  all  Revelation,  at  least  in  the 
sense  that  the  greater  includes  the  less. 

The  Christian  doctrine  of  the  Immanent 
God  also  depends  upon  and  finds  its  highest 
and  clearest  expression  in  the  Incarnation  :  in- 
deed, without  this  doctrine  of  the  Incarnat'oii, 
it  could  hardly  be  maintained  without  degen- 
erating into  pantheism,  and  Christianity  itself 
loses  its  power  and  coherence,  both  as  a  sys- 
tem of  thought  and  as  a  religion. 

It  is,  therefore,  to  the  relation  of  the  doc- 
trine of  Evolution  to,  or  its  effect  upon,  this 
doctrine  and  its  consequent  attitude  toward  all 


86       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

Kevelation  that  the  Christian  thinker  looks 
with  the  greatest  interest,  not  unmixed  with 
apprehension.  It  is  not  so  much  that  we  ex- 
pect Evokition  to  deal  directly  with  this  doc- 
trine, by  endeavoring  to  prove  or  disprove  it, 
as  such  a  function  clearly  lies  beyond  or  out- 
side of  its  sphere. 

We  have  not  been  in  the  Imbit  of  expecting 
any  special  light  or  help  in  understanding  or 
explaining  the  methods  of  the  Divine  Revela- 
tion from  any  theory  of  science  based  upon 
deductions  from  the  observed  facts  of  nature, 
nor,  on  the  other  hand,  have  we  been  willing 
to  accept  any  strictures  on  Revelation  or  the 
possibility  of  its  occurrence  from  this  quarter. 
We  have,  in  general,  been  content  to  maintain 
the  inability  of  empirical  science,  based  upon 
natural  law  and  the  facts  of  observation,  to 
cope  with  this  problem. 

Evolution,  however,  is  being  urged  as  a 
universal  philosophy  :  it  believes  the  universe 
to  be  one :  the  processes  of  development 
throughout  this  universe  to  move  on  the  same 
or  on  parallel  lines :  and  the  general  method 
of  all  development  to  be  the  same,  however 
the    details    may    vary.     It    is,    therefore,    an 


THE  INC  A  B  NA  TlOJSf.  87 

interesting  question  as  to  what  view  this  new 
philosophy  will  find  itself  constrained  to  take 
of  this  central  and  basal  doctrine  of  Christian- 
ity. It  is  not  difficult  to  discern  a  likeness  or 
parallelism  between  the  manifestations  of  God 
afforded  by  the  Argument  from  Design  and 
the  Cosmological,  Moral  and  Historical  Argu- 
ments and  the  two  Revelations,  the  one  by  the 
medium  of  creation,  and  the  other  through 
man's  own  spiritual  nature,  mentioned  in  the 
passage  already  quoted  from  the  Gospel  of 
John.  In  like  manner,  can  we  find  any  place 
in  the  system  of  Evolution  for  "The  Word 
became  flesh" — the  doctrine  of  the  Incarna- 
tion? 

Is  this  transcendent  event  in  any  sense  pre- 
figured in,  or  suggested  by,  the  earher  stages 
in  the  process  of  Evolution,  or  can  it  be  con- 
ceived of  in  harmony  with  the  observed  meth- 
ods of  the  Divine  working,  which  Evolution 
has  made  known  to  us? 

If  the  Incarnation  be  accepted  as  a  veritable 
fact,  we  must  admit  into  our  system  the  intro- 
duction of  a  new  force  or  cause.  We  thus 
postulate  a  new  stage  in  the  process  of  Crea- 
tion   or    Evolution,    or    a    new    and    spiritual 


88       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

creation.  Can  Evolution,  with  its  doctrine  of 
the  gradual  development  of  all  nature,  organic 
and  inorganic,  and  of  man  up  from  the  lower 
forms  of  life,  admit  of  the  introduction  of  a 
new  cause  and  the  possibility  of  a  still  higher 
stage  of  development  ?  Would  not  the  intro- 
duction of  such  a  force  or  cause  break  the 
continuity  of  the  whole  process  and  prove  fa- 
tal to  Evolution  itself  as  a  system  ?  An  an- 
swer to  these  questions  can  only  be  given 
after  noting  the  requirements  of  the  theory 
and  its  necessities  of  assumption  at  the  differ- 
ent stages  of  progress  or  transition,  from  the 
inorganic  to  the  organic,  from  the  vegetable 
to  the  animal,  etc. 

If  the  doctrine  of  Evolution,  besfinnino- 
wdth  the  primal  forms  of  matter,  is  able,  with- 
out admitting  any  new  force  or  cause  to  ac- 
count for  all  the  preceding  stages  of,  and 
transitions  in,  the  process,  surely  it  will  be  un- 
willing now  to  admit  of  the  introduction  of 
any  new  element. 

If,  however,  at  every  stage  in  the  develop- 
ment of  nature  it  is  obliofed  to  admit  new 
elements  or  forces  to  account  for  the  chancres 
observed  and  the  new  direction  and  increase 


THE  INCARNATION.  89 

in  breadth  and  scope  of  the  process,  it  cannot 
have  now  any  fundamental  objection  to  the 
acceptance  of  any  new  element  which  may  be 
capable  of  explaining-  a  further  advance  in  the 
process  of  development,  in  Jine  with  that  which 
has  preceded,  and  otherwise  unexplained.  In- 
deed, by  all  the  analogy  of  what  it  has  had  of 
experience  in  the  past,  it  will  be  looking  for 
and  expecting  some  such  discovery,  some  new 
and  higher  stage  in  the  process,  brought  about, 
as  the  preceding  steps  in  advance  have  been, 
by  the  introduction  of  a  new  element,  or  the 
action  of  a  new  force. 

That  the  latter  supposition  is  clearly  in  har- 
mony with  the  facts  of  the  case  is  well  shown 
by  the  statements,  or  concessions,  of  Mr. 
Wallace  in  his  recent  volume.^ 

In  considering  the  origin  of  man,  he  shows 
that  in  the  development  of  the  organic  world 
there  are  at  least  three  distinct  stages  where 
we  must  of  necessity  assume  that  some  new 
power  or  force  has  been  introduced  or  has  come 
into  action  : — 

"  The  first  stage  is  the  change  from  inorganic 
to  organic,  when  the  earliest  vegetable  cell,  or 
1  Darwinism. 


90       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

living'  protoplasm  out  of  which  it  arose,  first 
appeared.  This  is  often  imputed  to  a  mere 
increase  of  complexity  of  chemical  compounds ; 
but  increase  of  complexity,  with  consequent 
instability,  even  if  we  admit  that  it  may  have 
produced  protoplasm  as  a  chemical  compound, 
could  certainly  not  have  produced  living  pro- 
toplasm— protoplasm  which  has  the  power 
of  growth  and  of  reproduction,  and  of  that 
continuous  process  of  development  which  has 
resulted  in  the  marvellous  variety  and  complex 
organization  of  the  whole  vegetable  kingdom. 
.  .  .  The  next  stage  is  still  more  marvellous, 
still  more  completely  beyond  all  possibility  of 
explanation  by  matter,  its  laAvs  and  forces.  It 
is  the  introduction  of  sensation  or  conscious- 
ness, constituting  the  fundamental  distinction 
between  the  animal  and  vegetable  kingdoms. 
Here  all  idea  of  mere  complication  of  structure 
producing  the  result  is  out  of  the  question. 
We  feel  it  to  be  altogether  preposterous  to 
assume  that  at  a  certain  stage  of  complexity  of 
atomic  constitution  and  as  a  necessary  result  of 
that  complexity  alone,  an  ego  should  start  into 
existence,  a  thing  that  feels,  that  is  conscious 
of  its  own  existence. 


THE  INCARNATION.  91 

"  Here  we  have  the  certainty  that  something 
new  has  arisen,  a  being  whose  nascent  con- 
sciousness has  gone  on  increasing  in  power  and 
clefiniteness  till  it  has  culminated  in  the  higher 
animals.  No  verbal  explanation  or  attempt  at 
explanation — such  as  the  statement  that  life  is 
the  result  o£  the  molecular  forces  of  the  pro- 
toplasm, or  that  the  whole  existing  organic 
universe  from  the  amoeba  up  to  man  was  latent 
in  the  fire-mist  from  which  the  solar  system 
was  developed,  can  afford  any  mental  satisfac- 
tion, or  help  us  in  any  way  to  a  solution  of  the 
mystery.  .  .  .  The  third  stage  is  the  exist- 
ence in  man  of  a  number  of  the  most  charac- 
teristic and  noblest  faculties,  those  which  raise 
him  furthest  above  the  brutes  and  open  up 
possibilities  of  almost  indefinite  advancement. 
These  faculties  could  not  possibly  have  been 
developed  by  means  of  the  same  laws  which 
have  determined  the  progressive  development 
of  the  organic  world  in  general,  and  also  of 
man's  physical  organism." 

It  is  also  interesting  to  note,  in  connection 
with  these  important  concessions  or  affirma- 
tions, that  this  prominent  evolutionist  concludes 
that  these  "  stages  of  progress  from  the  inor- 


92        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

ganic  world  of  matter  and  motion  up  to  man, 
point  clearly  to  an  unseen  universe — to  a  world 
of  spirit  to  which  the  world  of  matter  is  alto- 
gether subordinate." 

Surely,  if  it  is  necessary  to  assume  from  time 
to  time  the  introduction  of  new  forces  to  carry 
forward  and  upward  the  process  of  develop- 
ment, and  if  the  whole  tendency  of  the  move- 
ment is  in  the  direction  of  the  spiritual  and 
gives  evidence  of  a  higher  and  dominating 
world  of  spirit,  it  cannot  be  said  to  be  in  any 
sense  in  oj)position  to  the  teachings  or  methods 
of  Evolution  for  us  to  postulate  a  new  and 
spiritual  element  or  force,  introduced  to  carry 
forward  the  process  of  development  to  a  still 
higher  stage  or  plane  in  the  direction  of  the 
moral  and  spiritual :  indeed,  from  the  consider- 
ations already  adduced,  it  would  seem  that  such 
a  change  or  advance  would  be  clearly  in  har- 
mony with  the  methods  of  development  ex- 
pressed in  the  doctrine  of  Evolution.  Evolution 
has  ever  a  forward  look.  In  its  thouirht  nothinir 
is  considered  as  stationary  or  complete. 

The  development  of  the  universe  could  not 
stop  with  any  organization  of  matter,  however 
complex  or  beautiful ;   under  the  constraining 


THE  INCARNATION.  93 

impulse  o£  the  will  of  Him  who  presides  over 
and  directs  the  whole  process  of  Evolution  it 
pressed  on  to  the  development  of  vegetable 
life,  with  all  its  many  and  varying-  forms  of 
beauty.  No  more  could  it  rest  satisfied  with 
this  attainment :  animal  life,  with  enlarged 
powers  and  capabilities,  must  appear,  and  the 
earth  was  inhabited  with  a  vast  number  of 
different  forms  of  life.  But  the  brute  creation 
could  not  be  accepted  as  the  end  of  the  crea- 
tion through  Evolution :  man,  a  being  of  in- 
telligence and  will,  steps  upon  the  scene, 
possessing  still  greater  capabilities  and  potenti- 
alities, even  the  glimmerings  of  a  still  higher, 
a  moral  and  spiritual  life.  Shall  the  natural 
man  occupy  the  place,  as  the  end  and  consum- 
mation of  all  these  creative  and  developing 
processes,  which  has  been  denied  to  all  that 
preceded  him  ?  Does  he  bear  in  his  nature 
and  organization  the  marks  of  completeness, 
which  clearly  indicate  that  he  must  be  a  final- 
ity in  the  evolutionary  process  ?  Have  we 
reached  the  end  of  the  road,  or  the  summit  of 
the  mountain-peak,  where  all  further  advance 
is  impossible  ?'  Are  we  not  the  rather  bound 
by  all  the  analogies   of  the  process   of  Evolu- 


94       EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

tion,  and  encouraged  by  the  fact  that  we  find 
in  man  the  beginnings  of  a  new,  a  moral  and 
a  spiritual  life,  just  as  we  discovered  in  the 
animal  the  beginnings  of  an  intelligent  life,  to 
confidently  expect  the  full  development  of  the 
spiritual  man  on  the  basis  of  the  natural,  the 
spiritual  following  the  rational  as  the  rational 
followed  the  oro^anic  and  the  orofanic  followed 
and  was  developed  out  of  the  inorganic  ? 

Such  a  step  in  advance  in  the  process  of 
Evolution  can  only  be  brought  about  by  the 
introduction,  as  in  the  preceding  transition 
periods,  of  a  new  cause  or  force.  Now  this  is 
just  what  the  Incarnation  does,  fully  satisfying 
all  the  conditions  and  requirements  of  the 
case,  and  in  full  harmony  Avith  the  preceding 
analogies  of  the  process  of  development.  We 
thus  see  in  the  Incarnation  the  beofinninor  of 
the  establishment  and  realization  of  a  new  and 
spiritual  kingdom,  with  Christ  as  its  "first 
fruits  "  and  determining  force,  in  which  poten- 
tially all  mankind  has  a  place. 

The  preceding  stages  of  Revelation ;  the 
predictions  of  the  prophets ;  the  manifestations 
of  that  liglit  "  which  lighteth  every  man  com- 
ing into  the  world,"  to  be  seen  in  the  universal 


THE  IN CABNA TION.  95 

moral  consciousness  o£  mankind,  and  discerned 
in  many  an  ancient  philosophy  and  ethnic  re- 
ligion, these  were  all  preparatory  and  prophetic  ; 
even  as  were  also  all  the  preceding  stages  o£ 
that  Evolution,  which,  working  throughout 
countless  ages  and  with  infinite  pains  and  con- 
tinuous adjustment  and  adaptation,  has  laid  the 
foundation  and  prepared  the  way  for  the  in- 
troduction and  manifestation  of  the  spiritual. 

In  the  Incarnation  the  Spiritual  Kingdom 
is  at  last  revealed  and  made  actual. 

Long  and  thorough  has  been  the  prepara- 
tion ;  many  and  varied  the  processes  leading  up 
to  this  event ;  and  most  worthy  and  satisfactory 
is  the  consummation  and  end  of  all  these  pre- 
paratory steps  in  the  evolutionary  process :  the 
corner-stone  dignifies  and  solidifies  the  whole 
edifice  of  creation. 

The  culmination  of  the  processes  of  Evolution 
and  the  final  and  most  complete  manifestation 
of  the  Immanent  God  are  both  found  in  the 
Incarnation  of  Christ.  The  final  and  the  per- 
manent, and  that  which  can  alone  afford 
explanation  of  the  preparatory  and  transient  is 
the  spiritual ;  and  the  end  of  the  ages  is  the 
new  creation  in  Christ. 


96        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

EVOLUTION      AND      THE     SUPERNATURAL  :     MIR- 
ACLES,    PROVIDENCE,     PRAYER. 

Religion  arises  from  and  depends  upon  a 
belief  in  the  Supernatural,  which  includes  in 
its  conception  freedom,  potentiality  and  per- 
sonality, and  only  personality  can  afford  an 
appropriate  basis  for  and  stimulate  the  exer- 
cise of  worship,  love  and  prayer. 

Ajiart  from  such  a  belief,  no  religion  has 
been  established,  and  no  system  can  be  main- 
tained with  doctrines,  worship  and  fellowship, 
that  can  in  any  measure  satisfy  the  longings 
and  desires  of  man's  spiritual  and  religious 
nature. 

1.  Much  of  the  conflict  between  Theology 
and  Science  has  been  carried  on  over  the  exist- 
ence of  the  Supernatural ;  and  in  particular 
concerning  the  existence  of  the  miraculous,  as 
affording  evidence  of  the  Supernatural. 


MIR  A  CLES,  PR  O  VIDENCE,  PR  A  YER.  97 

In  this  controversy  Theology  has  been  sub- 
ject to  a  great  disadvantage  in  that  the  mirac- 
ulous has  to  a  considerable  extent  been  in- 
volved in  many  and  gross  superstitions,  and 
has  also  been  made  the  occasion  of  exceed- 
ingly pernicious  errors,  and  has  thus  fallen 
into  disrepute. 

The  chief  arguments  against  miracles  which 
have  been  brought  forward  by  science  are 
purely  philosophical  presumptions,  dealing 
with  the  question  of  the  possibility  of  the  oc- 
currence of  a  miracle  from  the  standpoint  of 
a  lyrlorl  opinions,  without  deigning  to  adduce 
facts  or  weigh  evidence,  for  or  against  them. 

Indeed,  it  has  been  commonly  asserted  that 
no  amount  of  historical  evidence  would  suffice 
to  establish  tlie  occurrence  of  a  miraculous 
event,  even  though  the  evidence  adduced  in 
its  favor  should  be  far  greater  than  that  con- 
sidered adequate  for  other  occurrences,  which 
are  accepted  as  beyond  question  or  doubt. 

Science  has  so  developed  and  conceived  of 
the  idea  of  the  universality  and  immutability 
of  physical  law,  which  its  own  investigations 
are  continually  establishing  upon  a  firmer  basis, 
and  giving  a  wider  scope  and  application,  as 


98        EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

to  leave  no  room  in  the  universe  for  the  action 
of  the  supernatural ;  it  is  ruled  out  by  defini- 
tion. We  are,  however,  far  from  being  con- 
vinced that  physical  laws  are  supreme  in  the 
universe ;  that  mind  is  an  empty  term  and  has 
no  existence  in  reality ;  and  that  a  spiritual 
kingdom  and  spiritual  laws  are  myths. 

Nor  can  we  bring  ourselves  to  conceive  of 
God  as  subject  to  laws  of  His  own  creation, 
and  especially  to  the  laws  of  matter.  We  are 
not  willing  to  call  that  science  w^hich  is  not 
ready  to  accept  all  the  facts  of  the  universe, 
and  which,  because  of  philosophical  presup- 
positions, refuses  to  consider  the  evidence  for 
a  certain  class  of  facts,  or  to  give  any  adequate 
weight  to  the  testimony  of  the  facts  of  con- 
sciousness, which  we  believe  are  even  more 
important  than  those  of  matter  and  force,  and 
give  evidence  of  the  reality  and  existence  of  a 
world  of  mind  and  of  spirit. 

Evolution,  as  we  understand  its  necessary 
implications,  does  not  deny  the  spiritual  and 
the  supernatural.  Indeed,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  the  supernatural  is  implied  in  or  must  be 
invoked  to  explain  the  process  itself  and  to 
account  for  the  basal  principles  and  elements 


MIRACLES,  PROVIDENCE,  PRAYER.  99 

with  which  Evolution  has  to  do,  and  to  explain 
the  introduction  of  new  forces  or  causes  at 
different  stages  in  the  process  of  development, 
and  that  the  doctrine  of  Evolution,  by  the 
analogy  of  its  own  processes,  points  to  the 
spiritual  as  the  culmination  and  end  of  the 
natural.  It  would,  therefore,  seem  almost 
superfluous  to  question  further  the  attitude  of 
Evolution  toward  the  Supernatural ;  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  in  view  of  the  prominence  of 
this  topic  in  the  controversy  between  science 
and  theology,  a  few  additional  considerations 
may  not  be  out  of  place.  I  presume  that 
many  of  those  who  appreciate  the  significance 
of  the  Christian  doctrine  of  the  Immanent  God, 
and  admire  the  magnitude  of  the  plan  and 
minuteness  of  the  various  processes  displayed 
in  the  universe,  have  long  before  this  become 
weary  of  a  discussion  which  deals  so  largely  in 
presuppositions,  and  the  exaggerated  promi- 
nence given  to  the  exceptional,  and  are  ready 
to  say  with  Philo, — '^  But  the  truly  miraculous 
has  become  despised  through  familiarity,  the 
unusual,  on  the  contrary,  although  in  itself  in- 
significant, yet  through  our  love  of  novelty, 
transports  us  with  amazement." 


100      EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

It  might  suffice  to  quiet  the  apprehensions 
of  those  who  fear  that  the  doctrine  of  Evoki- 
tion  may  destroy  all  basis  for  belief  in  the 
Supernatural,  to  say  that  true  science  cannot 
afford  to  reject  veritable  facts,  and  must  the 
rather  find  a  place  for  them  in  its  system, 
otherwise  it  cannot  expect  for  its  theories  any 
permanent  interest  or  general  accejDtance. 

But,  further,  taking  as  our  definition  of  a 
miracle, — "  A  deviation  from  the  known  laws 
of  nature,"  it  is  hard  to  see  how  the  doctrine 
of  Evolution  is  necessarily  opposed  to  their 
acceptance. 

Have  Ave  not  on  every  side  intimations  and 
evidences  of  higher  and  spiritual  laws  ?  Are 
new  combinations  of  known  laws  unthinkable  ? 
The  law  reo^ulatins:  the  movements  of  two 
bodies  mutually  attracting  each  other  cannot 
be  depended  upon  to  furnish  the  explanation 
of  the  variations  produced  when  these  bodies, 
or  even  one  of  them,  are  also  subject  to  the 
attraction  of  a  third  body.  Nevertheless,  how- 
ever complicated  and  eccentric  the  resultant 
movements  may  be,  in  the  case  mentioned,  we 
do  not  refuse  to  accept  the  facts,  and  we  believe 
that  there  is  a  higher  law  capable  of  affording 


311 R  A  CLES,  PE  O  VIDENCE,  PR  A  YER.         1 0 1 

a  satisfactory  explanation  of  them,  tliougli  we 
may  not  as  yet  have  discovered  it,  and  are, 
therefore,  not  able  to  state  it.  The  doctrine 
of  Evolution  teaches  the  universality  of  law, 
the  very  principle  which  science  has  long  urged 
as  necessarily  fatal  to  any  belief  in  miracles, 
and  which  many,  for  this  reason,  feared  and 
hesitated  in  accepting.  Such  fear,  however,  is 
due  to  a  misconception  of  the  necessary  im- 
phcations  of  the  principle,  or  comes  from  a 
deistic  conception  of  nature  and  its  laws. 

What  are  these  laws  which  control  nature, 
life,  mind,  society  and  all  human  activity  and 
progress,  enabhng  man  to  develop  and  realize 
his  freedom  and  personality  through  and  on 
the  basis  of  their  unchanging  req  uirements  and 
regulations :  how  are  they  ordained :  and  who 
gives  them  their  authority  and  validity  ? 

Do  they  not  require  for  their  explanation 
nothing  less  than  the  presence  and  potency 
of  the  Immanent  God,  and  must  Ave  not  consider 
them  as  the  expressions  of  His  will  ?  Prof. 
Bowne  has  well  said,^— "  So  far  as  the  facts  go, 
we  may  view  Nature  as  only  the  orderly  form 
under  which  a  divine  purpose  is   behig  contin- 

1  Independent,  July  31st,  1890. 


102     EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

uously  realized  by  a  continuous  divine  activity. 
The  unity  o£  Nature  is  the  unity  of  the  divine 
plan.  The  progress  in  Nature  is  but  the  suc- 
cessive unfolding  and  realization  of  divine  pur- 
pose. The  bond  of  union,  the  ground  of  prog- 
ress, the  living  force  of  the  whole,  are  to  be 
found  in  a  Supreme  Intellect  and  Will  in 
which  Nature  has  its  source  and  beinof." 

Indeed  one  mio-lit  maintain  that  God  does 
not  work  otherwise  than  through  law,  and 
even  claim  that  His  direct  influence  or  action 
upon  the  human  mind  which  gives  it  its  power 
and  sensibility  is  also  an  act  under  law,  and 
there  is  little  evidence  or  force  of  analogy  from 
known  facts  that  would  not  be  found  to  favor, 
or  be  in  perfect  harmony  with  such  views. 
We  can  accept  with  Evolution  the  doctrine  of 
the  universality  of  law,  and  at  the  same  time 
believe  in  an  all-embracino-  and  all-determinino- 
supernatural.  Indeed,  this  doctrine  of  the 
universality  of  law  affirms  only  that  the  Imma- 
nent God,  "  with  whom  can  be  no  variation, 
neither  shadow  that  is  cast  by  turning,"  mani- 
fests His  will  in  an  orderly  and  consistent 
manner,  and  discredits  only  by  arbitrary  and 
capricious  supernatural. 


MIRACLES,  PROVIDENCE,  PR  A  VER.  103 

The  suspension  or  violation  of  the  hiws  o£ 
nature,  real  or  apparent,  involved  in  a  miracle, 
is  nothing  more  than  is  seen  constantly  taking 
place  about  us. 

We  find  that  one  law  frequently  counteracts 
another:    the   resultant  of  two  forces  follows 
a  path  not  marked  out  by  either  of  them,  but 
due    to  the    influence  of  both:    the    chemical 
laws  of  matter  are   held  in  abeyance  by  the 
vital  force  of  a  living  organism  :  there  is  hardly 
a  law  of  nature  that  man  cannot  in   a  measure 
counteract   or  direct  and  modify  in  its  action 
according  to  his  desires  and  purposes.     If  the 
finite  man  can,  to  an  ever-increasing  extent,  as 
he  comes  to  understand  the  meaning  and  scope 
of  the  appHcation  of  the  laws  of  nature,  control 
them  and  realize  his  purposes   through  them, 
by  how  much  more   will  the   infinite  God  be 
able  to  employ  these  laws  of  His  own  creation 
in   the  accomplishment   of  His  plans   of  love. 
It  is  not  conceivable  that  the  Immanent   God 
can,  in   any   way,  be  hindered,  conditioned  or 
constrained  by  these  laws  of  his  own  establish- 
ment, and  which  are   but  the  methods  of  his 
activity. 

2.  It  will    readily    appear    from    the    con- 


104     EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

siderations  already  adduced  that  the  doc- 
trine of  E\  ohition  cannot  be  quoted  as  opposed 
to  that  of  Providence.  Indeed,  Evohition 
furnishes  us  with  a  substantial  and  rational 
basis  for  the  development  of  this  doctrine,  as 
broad  as  the  facts  of  the  universe  and  minute 
enough  to  include  in  the  sphere  of  its  direc- 
tion the  most  insignificant  forces  and  elements. 
This  doctrine  of  Providence  manifested  and 
realized  throusfh  universal  and  far-reachinof 
laws  will  come  as  a  wholesome  corrective  for 
many  of  the  loose  theories  and  conceptions  of 
Providence,  which  have  done  so  much  to  brinir 
the  doctrine  into  disrepute  and  contempt  among 
thinking  men.  Evolution  cannot  be  depended 
upon  to  bolster  up  that  trust  in  Providence, 
born  of  presumptuous  ignorance,  which  neglects 
or  refuses  to  use  well-accredited  means  to 
ward  off  disaster  or  obtain  relief  from  sickness 
and  disease,  preferring,  with  a  faith  more 
simple  than  even  childlike,  to  commit  to  God 
that  which  science  and  human  experience  have 
shown  to  be  dependent  upon  human  agency 
and  the  use  of  appropriate  means.  Nor  will 
it  afford  any  comfort  or  support  for  the 
hypocrisy  and  self-conceit  of  those  Avho  ascribe 


MIRACLES,  PROVIDENCE,  PRAYER.  105 

all  the  evils  experienced  by  those  they  do  not 
like,  and  all  occurrences  that  contribute  to 
their  own  comfort,  convenience  and  advantage 
to  the  direct  and  special  action  and  interven- 
tion of  the  Divine  Will. 

The  doctrine  of  Evolution  does  not  establish 
Fatalism,  but  it  indicates  the  universality  of  a 
law  workinof  for  the  realization  and  the  estab- 
lishment  of  the  moral  and  spiritual ;  it  maintains 
an  orderly  and  consistent  Providence  in  har- 
mony with  the  dignity  and  all  the  high  and 
holy  attributes  of  our  God ;  and  it  teaches  us, 
if  we  would  take  advantage  of  the  Divine  Prov- 
idence, we  must  put  ourselves  in  harmony  with 
the  Divine  ^Yi\\. 

In  the  direction  of  moral  and  spiritual  attain- 
ment, the  grand  and  all-important  truth  is  well 
expressed  by  the  Apostle  Paul : — "  And  we 
know  that  to  them  that  love  God  all  things 
work  together  for  good." 

We  believe  that  all  the  forces  of  the  universe, 
whether  natural  or  spiritual,  are  arranged  and 
calculated  so  as  to  co-operate  with  all  the  en- 
deavors of  those  who  "  love  God  "  and  strive 
to  know  and  obey  His  will  in  the  realization  and 
attainment  of  all  that  is  worthy  and  permanent. 


106      EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

Man,  by  his  study  of  Nature  and  Revelation  and 
by  the  constant  experience  of  every-day  life  as 
well,  is  ever  learning  more  and  more  of  the 
will  of  God,  as  he  comes  to  understand  more 
thoroughly  the  laws  of  the  universe  and  their 
many  possible  combinations  and  applications. 
Providence  is  waiting  to  co-operate  with  him 
ever  increasingly  as  he  attains  to  a  more  com- 
plete and  exact  knowledge  of  these  laws  of  the 
universe  and  renders  to  them  a  more  intelli- 
gent obedience. 

What  a  grand  future  of  attainment  lies 
before  the  race  as  man  learns  more  and  more 
how  to  co-operate  with  God  in  the  Divine 
processes  and  in  harmony  with  the  Divine 
purposes,  and  so  comes  to  command  more 
and  more  the  potency  of  the  Omnipotent  in 
the  development  of  a  higher  civilization  and 
the  realization  of  high  moral  and  spiritual 
ideals. 

3.  Evolution  has  also  been  thouofht  to 
destroy  the  basis  of  prayer  with  its  doctrine 
of  the  universality  of  law,  or  to  render  its  use 
irrational  and  meanino^less. 

It  is  true  there  are  certain  kinds  of  Prayer 
that  this  doctrine  makes  to   appear   irrational, 


MIR  A  CL  ES,  PH  0  VIDENCE,  PR  A  YER.  107 

not  that  it  changes  the  facts  at  all,  only  that 
it  makes  their  true  character  manifest  that  all 
may  appreciate  their  absurdity. 

To  this  class  belong  those  prayers  that  are 
content  to  rest  satisfied  with  empty  words  in 
the  form  of  petition,  when  the  means  which 
must  be  employed  to  bring  about  the  desired 
ends  are  within  reach,  and  only  half-hearted- 
ness,  laziness  or  ignorance  on  the  part  of  the 
petitioner  keeps  him  from  striving  himself  for 
the  attainment  of  the  desired  object.  No 
amount  of  prayer  for  bountiful  harvests  by  the 
farmer  can  take  the  place  of  the  necessary 
labor  of  preparing  the  soil,  sowing  the  seed, 
and  attending  to  the  proper  nurture  of  the 
growing  plants. 

If  man  does  his  part,  God,  working  through 
and  by  means  of  natural  law,  will  crown  his 
efforts  with  success,  in  proportion  to  the  care 
and  labor  that  he  has  expended,  but  He  puts 
no  premium  on  laziness  or  ignorance. 

Man  must  pray,  if  he  would  pray  acceptably, 
according  to  the  will  of  God,  and  that  will  is 
clearly  manifested  in  the  terms  of  law  and  has 
its  unmistakable  and  unchangeable  require- 
ments.    The  "  Faith  Cure/'  so  called,  is  a  fail- 


108      EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

ure,  not  so  much  because  of  the  lack  of  faith, 
as  the  absence  of  that  intelKgent  faith  which 
leads  its  possessor  to  strive  to  understand  the 
will  of  God  as  manifested  in  the  known  laws 
of  hygiene,  and  then  to  put  himself  in  harmony 
wdth  that  will  by  using  the  best  and  most 
approved  means  at  hand. 

Even  in  matters  relating  distinctively  to 
religion,  we  have  learned  to  value  only  those 
prayers  that  pledge  the  petitioner  to  use,  him- 
self, all  the  means  at  his  command  for  the 
attainment  of  the  desired  end :  and  here,  also, 
we  are  besrinnino:  to  discern  the  fact  that  God 
works  by  and  through  laws,  which  we  may 
hope  to  understand  and  use  w^tli  increasing 
efficiency. 

The  influence  of  Evolution  upon  Prayer  will 
be  to  make  the  petitioner  more  humble  and 
earnest,  and  the  petitions  more  rational  and 
more  nearly  in  harmony  with  God's  manifested 
will :  -^ — "  As  the  Supernatural  discloses  itself 
more  perfectly  in  and  by  and  through  the  natural, 
prayer  will  pass  more  and  more  into  silent  trust 
and  wise  diliirence  :  not  because  intervention 
is  felt  to  be  unfitting,  but  because  the  wisdom 
'  Prof.  Bascom  :  Natural  Theology. 


MIRACLES,  PROVIDENCE,  PRAYER.  109 

and  grace  o£  God  are  felt  to  be  present  un- 
solicited, and  to  be  sufficient  of  themselves 
without  importunity." 

Moreover,  we  may  expect,  with  clearer  and 
more  rational  conceptions  of  the  nature  and 
office  of  prayer,  a  deeper  appreciation  of  its 
meaning'  and  value,  both  as  a  means  of  com- 
munication and  communion  with  the  Immanent 
God,  and  also  as  a  force  of  supreme  importance 
in  the  world  of  spiritual  life  and  endeavor. 
Science,  because  of  the  many  irrational  uses  of 
prayer,  has  never  accorded  to  it  its  true  place  in 
the  universe  as  a  force :  indeed,  science  has 
rarely  taken  much  notice  of  the  spiritual  side 
of  the  universe,  and  has  never  been  willino-  to 
give  as  ready  hearing  or  credence  to  the  facts 
furnished  by  consciousness,  as  to  those  obtained 
by  observation  and  experiment.  The  true 
science  of  the  future  cannot  fail  of  takin<r  into 
account  this  important  class  of  facts  so  long 
disregarded  by  the  advocates  of  the  empirical 
philosophy.  There  is  no  lack  of  testimony  as 
to  the  value,  power  and  efficacy  of  prayer ;  and 
it  cannot  fail  of  obtaining  recognition  sooner 
or  later  as  a  primal  power  or  force  in  the  spir- 
itual world,  as  gravitation  is  in  the  world  of 


110      EVOLUTION  AND  THE  UnfANENT  GOD. 

nature:  and  the  very  doctrine  of  Evolution 
may  require  such  recognition  in  order  to  explain 
the  many  facts  of  consciousness  and  experience : 
certainly  it  is  no  foe  to  the  prayer  of  the 
rio-hteous  man,  which  "  availeth  much  in  its 
working." 


EVOLUTION  AND  IMMORTALITY.  Ill 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

EVOLUTION     AND    IMMORTALITY. 

The  Immortality  of  the  soul  is  one  of  the 
oldest  and  most  important  problems  of  philos- 
ophy and  beliefs  of  religion  :  a  conception  or 
idea  fundamental  to  human  thouoht  and  belief, 
which  philosophy  has  ever  tried  to  establish 
upon  a  rational  foundation,  but  with  varying 
degrees  of  success,  even  in  its  own  estimation. 

It  is  a  subject  of  such  evident  and  tran- 
scendent importance  that  it  is  not  strange  that 
it  has  ever  been  uppermost  in  human  thought : 
indeed,  as  the  question  of  the  life  or  death  of 
each  individual  is  involved  in  it,  we  should  ex- 
pect that  it  would  engross  the  thought  of  man- 
kind to  a  greater  extent  than  any  other  question 
could.  We  may  say  that  this  belief  is  philo- 
sophically or  logically  dependent  upon  our 
conception  of  God  and  His  attributes  and  the 


112      EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

requirements  of  our  own  spiritual  natures.  It 
is  also  true,  on  the  other  hand,  that  a  belief  in 
the  immortality  of  the  soul  makes  a  vast  differ- 
ence in  our  conception  of  the  attributes  of  God 
and  appreciation  of  the  meaning  of  the  facts  of 
our  own  nature  and  life. 

It  is  evident  that  physical  science  can  have 
nothing"  to  say  directly  with  regard  to  the 
solution  of  this  great  problem,  either  for  or 
against  a  belief  in  immortality. 

From  our  own  physical  constitution  we  are 
not  able  to  obtain  any  rational  expectation  of 
a  future  life. 

We  are  only  able  to  draw  our  presumptions  in 
favor  of  a  belief  in  immortality  from  our  rational 
or  spiritual  nature  and  its  demands,  and  the 
character  and  government  of  God.  The  value 
or  validity  of  these  considerations  or  arguments 
varies  with  different  individuals^  according  to 
each  person's  individual  bias  or  the  standpoint 
from  which  he  views  and  explains  the  facts 
from  which  they  are  drawn.  The  materialist 
is  logically  shut  out  from  any  belief  in  a  per- 
sonal immortality,  and  can  only  look  forward 
to  an  immortality  of  influence,  a  continuity  of 
existence  in  the  lives  and  characters  of  others. 


EVOL  UTION  A  ND  IMMOR  TALITY.  1 1 3 

To  the  one  who  accepts  the  Christian  Reve- 
lation these  considerations  bring  additional  and 
corroborative  proof  of  that  which  he  already 
believes  to  be  true  on  the  basis  of  other  evi- 
dence. It  may  well  be  doubted  whether  it  is 
possible  to  demonstrate  the  ^^ersonal  immortal- 
ity of  the  human  soul  apart  from  the  light  and 
aid  furnished  us  by  Revelation.  And  yet  the 
considerations  brought  forward  by  Natural 
Theology  in  support  of  such  a  belief  are  most 
important  as  affording  at  least  a  presumption 
in  its  favor,  and  a  philosophical  basis  for  its 
acceptance.  In  other  words,  it  adds  much  to 
the  harmony  and  consistency  of  our  thought  if 
we  can  with  the  light  of  Nature  discover  traces, 
however  dim,  of  that  truth  which  the  clearer 
light  of  Revelation  makes  manifest  and  es- 
tablishes. 

In  this  endeavor  the  requirements  of  the 
doctrine  of  Evolution  and  its  philosophy  will,  I 
believe,  be  found  to  furnish  most  important 
and  substantial  aid. 

Man  possesses  in  his  spiritual  nature  powers 
which  are  of  a  peculiar  order.  They  cannot 
be  explained  as  the  product  of  matter  in  any 
of  its    manifestations  or  as  the  result  of  the 


1 1 4      EVOL  UTION  A ND  THE  IMMA  NEN T  G OD. 

action  of  its  forces.  Human  life  is  character- 
ized by  intelligence,  freedom,  and  morality — 
qualities  not  inhering  in  matter,  nor  possessed 
by  the  brute  creation.  To  predicate  extinction 
of  this  life  on  the  death  of  the  body  on  the 
basis  of  analoo^ies  drawn  from  the  orcjanic 
world  is  not  logical,  nor  can  the  chejnical  forces 
all-powerful  in  the  process  of  bodily  dissolution 
be  conceived  of  as  having  any  effect  upon  those 
elements  which  go  to  make  up  the  personality, 
the  true  spiritual  nature  and  the  life  known  to 
consciousness.  Althous^h  the  life  of  man  is 
manifested  through  the  bodily  organism,  and 
develojjed  in  connection  with  it,  on  the  decay 
of  the  body  as  it  approaches  the  termination  of 
the  allotted  period  of  its  existence,  there  is  no 
corresponding  decay  or  enfeeblement  of  the 
intellectual  and  spiritual  powers.  On  the 
contrary,  man's  higher  powers  seem  to  be 
capable  of  an  indefinite  development  and 
growth  :  and  the  experience  and  wisdom  of 
age  surely  prepare  their  possessor  for  life  rather 
than  death,  and  make  possible  a  larger  exist- 
ence and  a  higher  development,  and  are  clearly 
prophetic  of  it. 

Evolution,  with  its  doctrine   of  the  persist- 


EVOLUTION  AND  IMMORTALITY.  115 

ence  of  force,  so  fundamental  to  all  its  con- 
ceptions and  processes,  would  seem  to  require 
a  belief  in  at  least  some  form  of  existence  after 
the  death  of  the  body. 

When  the  bodily  organism  perishes,  the  forces 
which  have  been  manifested  in  and  through  it 
cannot  be  destroyed :  they  must  be  conceived 
of  as  passing  to  some  other  form  of  manifest- 
ation, and  as  existing  as  really  when  using 
some  other  instrument  as  when  they  inhabited 
the  body.  Evolution  teaches  us  that  no  force 
can  be  destroyed :  it  can  only  be  transmitted. 
No  more  can  that  higher  spiritual  life,  which 
manifests  itself  as  reason,  wdll,  and  conscience 
in  personality,  perish  out  of  the  universe. 
This  doctrine  of  the  general  indestructibility  of 
the  soul  may  not  be  by  any  means  perfectly 
synonymous  with  the  doctrine  of  personal  im- 
mortality ;  and  yet  it  is  hard  to  see  how  or 
where  the  distinctive  element  of  personality 
can  be  lost.  It  is  claimed  by  some  that  with 
the  decay  of  the  brain  tissues  and  the  nerves 
all  conscious  existence  must  come  to  an  end  ; 
but  this  is  pure  supposition  and  is  not  required 
by  any  considerations  necessarily  following 
from  the  doctrine  of  Evolution. 


116      EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

Prof.  Fiske  has  declarecP  that  he  does  not 
at  all  agree  with  the  conclusion  "  that  the  com- 
plex web  of  human  consciousness  cannot  sur- 
vive the  disinteo'ration  of  the  ors^anic  structure 
with  which  we  invariably  find  it  associated/' 
and  that  he  considers  it  as  "a  conclusion  not 
involved  in  the  premises,  and  one  which  no 
scientific  philosopher,  as  such,  has  a  right  to 
draw." 

Without  immortality  the  whole  object  of  the 
development  of  man  would  be  lost.  If  death 
ends  all,  what  a  weariness  of  fruitless  labors, 
what  a  protracted  series  of  purposeless  move- 
ments, Avhat  a  succession  of  insufficient  issues, 
what  a  waste  of  material  and  of  force,  what  a 
prodigality  of  energy,  of  endeavor,  and  of  suffer- 
ing the  history  of  the  development  of  humanity 
discloses  ;  and  the  process  is  still  going  on 
without  any  prospect  of  reaching  a  satisfactory 
termination. 

How  can  we  afford  any  explanation  of  the 
moral  faculty,  or  find  any  justification  for  the 
promulgation  of  moral  law  to  guide  a  simply 
moral  life  ? 

Self-sacrifice,   duty,  and   high  ideals — what 

'  Excursions  of  an  Evolutionist. 


EVOL  UTION  AND  UIMO R TALITY.  1 1 7 

opportunity  have  they  to  bring  forth  their 
appropriate  fruit  or  manifest  their  logical  and 
inherent  tendencies  ? 

If  immortality  he  not  a  fact,  morality  is  use- 
less, if  not  immoral,  and  the  only  natural  and 
rational  rule  of  life  must  he,  as  the  Apostle 
Paul  perceived, — "  Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for 
to-morrow  we  die." 

Moreover,  if  immortality  is  not  a  fact,  we 
have  to  explain  how  a  belief  in  it  could  arise 
and  maintain  itself  so  stubbornly,  notwithstand- 
ing the  fact  of  the  death  of  the  body  which 
seems  at  first  sight  to  destroy  all  such  hope. 
The  belief  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul  is 
a  Avidespread  one,  common  to  all  the  great 
religions,  and  it  seems  to  belong  to  the  same 
class  of  primal,  if  not  intuitive  beliefs,  as  that 
of  the  existence  of  the  spirit  and  of  a  God. 
How  and  upon  Avhat  basis  could  such  a  belief, 
transcending  all  experience,  have  been  devel- 
oped in  tlie  cliildhood  of  the  race  :  and  Iiow 
could  it  maintain  itself  when  the  growing  ex- 
perience of  mankind  saw  only  universal  mor- 
tahty  of  the  apparent  life  of  tlie  race  ?  And 
yet  we  find  in  man  something  more  wonder- 
ful and  even  harder  to   explain  on  any   other 


118      E  VOL  UTION  A  NI)  THE  IMMA  NEN  T  G  OD. 

supposition  than  that  of  the  immortality  of 
the  soul : — a  craving,  a  longing,  deeper  and 
stronger  than  any  appetite  or  passion,  for  con- 
tinuity of  existence.  Man  cannot  endure  the 
thought  of  annihilation.  He  cannot  even 
imagine  the  going-out  of  his  conscious,  per- 
sonal existence.  We  have  no  reason  for  sup- 
posing that  the  brute  experiences  anything 
analogous  to  this.  It  seems  to  be  a  soul-in- 
stinct, implanted  within  the  soul  of  man  too 
deeply  to  be  completely  eradicated,  even  at  the 
behests  of  a  materialistic  philosophy,  which  the 
individual  may  bring  himself  to  accept.  There 
is  not  a  bodily  passion  or  appetite  but  that  can 
find  its  appropriate  satisfaction  provided  for  it 
by  nature  and  within  the  reach  of  its  attain- 
ment. 

Mental  and  sesthetic  tastes  exist  also  and 
only  to  the  extent  that  there  is  material  ready 
at  hand,  or  to  be  obtained  in  the  universe,  for 
their  satisfaction,  and,  as  they  are  developed 
and  become  more  critical  in  their  demands,  the 
store-house  of  nature  is  still  able  to  furnish 
all  that  is  needful.  Can  we  now  suppose  for  a 
moment  that  this  longing  of  the  soul,  the 
deepest  and  most  persistent  of  all,  is  alone  to 


EVOLUTION  AND  IMMORTALITY.  119 

go  without  any  appropriate  satisfaction  ?  Can 
we  bring  ourselves  to  believe  that  it  was  planted 
and  developed  within  us  only  to  mock  us,  and 
without  any  reality  to  correspond  with  its  de- 
mands? Indeed,  we  cannot,  and  there  is  no 
theorj^  o£  Evolution  that  can  afford  us  any  aid  in 
accountinof  for  the  belief  in  and  the  all-master- 
ing  desire  for  hnmortality,  without  postulating 
immortality  itself  as  its  cause  and  explanation. 
The  truthfulness  of  God  demands  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul,  for  He  has  permitted,  at 
least,  the  development  of  this  belief  and  the 
awakening  of  this  wide-spread  hope.  The 
benevolence  of  God  and  the  manifestation  of 
the  ends  of  creation  and  the  justification  of 
the  methods  of  the  government  of  the  universe 
also  require  it.  Without  the  immortality  of 
the  soul  and  the  awards  of  the  future  life,  the 
beneficence  of  God  would  remain  an  unproven 
supposition,  truth  and  righteousness  would  be 
unvindicated,  while  death,  sin  and  suffering 
would  be  proclaimed  as  victors  in  life's  pur- 
poseless struggle.  Indeed,  apart  from  a  belief 
in  immortality,  it  is  doubtful  whether  any  evi- 
dence could  suffice  to  demonstrate  to  us  the 
existence  of  a  God  at  alL 


120      EVOLUTION  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

AYe  might  also-  say  that  the  doctrine  of 
Evohitioii  is  equally  imperative  in  its  demands 
for  some  belief  in  immortality  in  order  to  afford 
a  satisfactory  and  worthy  end  for  its  processes, 
looked  upon  as  a  whole.  Evolution  tells  us  of 
elemental  forces  workino-  throuo-liout  Ions:  ao^es, 
of  chemical  forces  following  in  the  line  of  suc- 
cession, and  of  vital  forces  making  possible  the 
development  of  plant  and  animal  life,  and  of 
the  constant  w^orking  of  all  these  forces  and  of 
resultant  progress  ever  onward  and  upw^ard 
throughout  long  periods  preparing  the  way  for 
a  higher  development  and  manifestation  of  life. 
The  fruit  of  all  this  waiting,  the  result  of  all 
these  manifold  processes  is  man,  who  adds  to 
all  that  the  preceding  development  could 
furnish,  reason,  conscience,  freedom  and  per- 
sonality. 

So  far  the  process  of  development  has  been 
steadily  onward  and  upward,  taking,  as  it  w^ere, 
long"er  strides  in  advance  at  each  stao-e.  Have 
we  any  reason  for  supposing  that  this  process 
is  now  to  be  reversed,  and  that  when  it  comes 
to  pass  to  the  next  stage,  man  will  lose  all,  or 
indeed  any  portion,  of  his  present  endowment? 

Not  at  all.     The  whole  analogy  of  the  past 


EVOLUTION  AND  IMMORTALITY,  121 

is  against  any  such  supposition,  and  the  whole 
law  of  continuity  and   development  points  the 
rather  to  a  higher  manifestation  of  the  spiritual, 
the  moral  and  the  personal.     There  are  some  ^ 
who  would  apply  the  law   of  the  "  Survival  of 
the  Fittest "  here,  and  consider  immortality  as 
mainly  qualitative,  believing  that  those  souls 
which   do  not   choose  those  qualities  of  truth 
and  righteousness,  "  which  are  essential  to  a 
divine,  and,  therefore,  an  immortal  life,"  are 
not  likely  to  survive  the  transition   from  this 
earthly  existence  to  the  spiritual :  an  opinion 
in     harmony    with    a    well-knoAvn     theological 
theory,  which  seems  to  be  gaining  currency  in 
certain  quarters.     Without   entering  upon  the 
consideration  of  the  influence  of  Evolution  upon 
the  development  of  the  doctrine  of  immortality 
— a  task  which  properly  belongs  to  Systematic 
Theology — it  is  enough  for  us  to  maintain  that 
Evolution   is   clearly  in  harmony  with  its  gen- 
eral conception,  or  belief,  that  it  would  seem  to 
prophesy  a  larger  career  for  the  soul  of  man  in 
an  enlarged  sphere  of   development,  and  that 
all  the  analogies  of  its  processes  in  the  develop- 
ment  of  that  which  has  preceded  man,  and  in 
1  Myron  Adams  :  The  Continuous  Creation. 


122      EVOLUriON  AND  THE  IMMANENT  GOD. 

the  evolution  of  man  himself,  are  clearly  and 
unequivocally  opposed  to  any  conception  of 
immortality  which  involves  any  loss  of  the 
higher  and  more  distinctive  qualities  or  powers 
of  the  soul. 

According  to  Evolution  and  Revelation  alike, 
"  it  is  not  yet  made  manifest  what  we  shall  be." 

We  await  the  realization  of  the  Divine  plan  : 
the  consummation  of  the  processes  of  Evolu- 
tion :  the  manifestation  of  the  new  creation  in 
Christ— the  '^revealing  of  the  sons  of  God." 

We  wait  with  earnest  expectation  and  with 
steadfast  confidence,  based  upon  the  unchang- 
nig  character  and  purpose  of  love  of  the  Im- 
manent God— the  Word  made  flesh.  Ours  is 
the  faith  of  the  beloved  disciple,  who  said  : — 
"  We  know  that,  if  he  shall  be  manifested, 
we  shall  be  like  him ;  for  we  shall  see  him  even 
as  he  is." 


THE    END. 


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Rabbi 
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Civilization 
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The  author  of  "  Looking  Backward"  and  others  did  a 
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A  Stirring  Story  of  the  lilar, 


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Dr.  John  T. 
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The  History  of  a 
Great  Social  and 
Intellectual 
Awakening 


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A  BiDidle  of  New  Books. 


riarion  D. 

Shutter, 

D.  D. 


Wit  and  Humor 
are  sometimes 
confused  with 
Buffoonery. 
They,  however, 
are  to  be  found  in 
the  highest  works 
only,  and  they 
are  subtly 
present  in  the 
highest 


Thomas 

Alexander 

Hyde 


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Wit  and  Humor  of  the  Bible. 

A  literary  study.  Many  writers  have  written  instructive 
commentaries  upon  the  pathos  and  sublimity  of  the  Bible, 
but  the  literary  elements  comprised  in  the  title  of  this 
interesting  and  revealing  work  have  rarely  been  men- 
tioned. Dr.  Shutter  has  here  entered  into  a  field  which 
before  was  untraversed.  This  side  of  sacred  literature  has 
been  long  neglected,  probably  because  in  so  many  minds 
wit  and  humor  are  somehow  associated  with  mere  ribaldry 
and  irreverence.  This  is  a  grave  mistake.  Wit  and 
humor  are  too  fine,  and  have  their  origin  in  emotions  too 
human  and  ennobling,  to  serve  the  purposes  of  coarse  and 
mean,  degraded  natures.  In  human  nature,  the  sources 
of  laughter  and  tears  lie  close  together;  we  need  not, 
therefore,  be  surprised  to  find  wit  and  humor  in  the  Bible, 
in  which  every  human  passion  is  mirrored,  in  which  the 
whole  philosophy  of  life  is  to  be  found,  with  some  con- 
solation and  sympathy  for  every  mood  of  humanity.  This 
book  of  Dr.  Shutter's  is  the  work  of  one  who  loves  and 
knows  the  Great  Book  thoroughly  and  reverently. 

Cloth .     Price,  post-paid,  $1.25. 

Christ  the  Orator  :    or,  Never  nan  Spake 

Like  This  Man. 

This  brilliant  work,  the  only  one  of  its  kind  which  has 
been  given  to  the  world,  is  a  monograph  upon  the  third 
side  of  Christ's  nature  —  the  expressional.  The  Rev. 
Thomas  Alexander  Hyde,  the  author,  is  a  vivid  and  vigor- 
ous thinker,  and  before  the  publication  of  this  book, 
which  has  made  his  name  as  familiar  in  the  religious  world 
as  that  of  any  contemporary  religious  teacher,  he  had 
made  a  reputation  as  the  author  of  "  The  Natural  System 
of  Elocution  and  Oratory."  "Christ  the  Orator"  has 
already  awakened  widespread  interest,  and  received  high 
endorsement  from  leading  editors,  preachers,  scholars  and 
thoughtful  laymen  everywhere,  representing  every  phase 
of  Christian  thought.  Its  earnest  spirit,  sympathetic  and 
finished  style  and  lofty  purpose,  render  it  a  welcome  guest 
in  every  family. 

Mr.  Hyde  is  a  vivid  writer  and  a  vigorous  thinker.  His 
mind  evidently  dots  nut  run  in  the  old  theological  grooves, 
though  we  conclude  that  he  is  sufficiently  conservative.  His 
attempt  to  prove  Christ  an  orator  is  at  least  unique.  His  book 
is  suggestive,  full  of  bright  and  beautiful  sayings,  and  is  quite 
worth  a  careful  reading.  —  Nezu  York  Herald. 

For  sale  by  all  newsdealers,  or  sent  postpaid  by 

Arena  Publishing  Co.,  Boston,  Mass. 


From  the  press  of  the  Arena  Publishing  Company. 


Bction :  Social,  Economic  an6  Reformatiue. 


E.  Stillman 
Doubleday 


A  story  of  the 
Struggles  of 
Honest  Industry 
under  Present 
Day  Conditions. 


Charles  S. 
Daniel 


A.  Story  of  the 
transformation 
of  the  Slums 


Price,  paper,  $0  cents;  cloth,  $1.25. 
JUST   PLAIN    FOLKS. 

A  novel  for  the  industrial  millions,  illustrating  two  stu- 
pendous facts :  — 

1.  The  bounty  and  goodness  of  nature. 

2.  The  misery  resulting  from  unjust  social  conditions 
which  enable  the  acquirer  of  wealth  to  degenerate  in 
luxury  and  idleness,  and  the  wealth  producer  to  slave  him- 
self to  death,  haunted  by  an  ever-present  fear  of  starva- 
tion when  not  actually  driven  to  vice  or  begging.  It  is  an 
exceedingly  interesting  book,  simply  and  affectingly  told, 
while  there  is  a  vast  deal  of  the  philosophy  of  commun- 
ism in  the  moralizing  of  Old  Bat.  All  persons  interested  in 
wholesome  fiction,  and  who  also  desire  to  understand  the 
conditions  of  honest  industry  and  society-made  vice, 
should  read  this  admirable  story. 


AI: 


Price,  paper,  50  cetits  ;  cloth,  $1.25. 
A  Social  Vision. 


One  of  the  most  ingenious,  unique  and  thought-provoking 
stories  of  the  present  generation.  It  is  a  social  vision,  and  in 
many  respects  the  most  noteworthy  of  the  many  remarkable 
dreams  called  forth  by  the  general  unrest  and  intellectual  activ- 
ity of  the  present  generation.  But  unlike  most  social  dreams 
appearing  since  the  famous  "  Utopia  "  of  Sir  Thomas  More, 
this  book  has  distinctive  qualities  which  will  commend  it  to 
many  readers  who  take,  as  yet,  little  interest  in  the  vital  social 
problems  of  the  hour.  A  quiet  humor  pervades  the  whole  vol- 
ume which  is  most  delightful. 

The  brotherhood  of  man  and  various  sociological  and  philan- 
thropic ideas,  such  as  the  establishment  of  a  college  setdement 
and  the  social  regeneration  of  Old  Philadelphia,  are  a  few  of 
the  topics  discussed  in  "  Ai,"  a  novel  by  Charles  Daniel,  whc 
calls  it  "  A  Social  Vision."  It  is  alternately  grave  and  gay;  am 
the  intellectual  freshness  reminds  one  constantly  of'^Edwara 
Everett  Hale's  stories,  with  which  "  Ai"  has  much  in  common. 
This  is  a  clever  book,  and,  what  is  much  more  important,  one 
whose  influence  is  for  good.  —  Public  Ledger. 


A  Bimdle  of  N'ew  Books. 


B.O.  Flower 


The  Social 
Factors  at  Work 
in  the  Ascent  of 
Man 


Time "   brings   its    matter  di- 
follow- 


A  KeiXi  Booh  of  Social  Ihought.  Just  Published. 

Price,  paper,  25  cents  ]  cloth,  $1.00. 

The  New  Time  :   A  Plea  for  the  Union  of 
the  floral  Forces  for  Practical  Progress. 

This  new  work,  by  the  author  of  "  Civilization's  In- 
ferno," deals  with  practical  methods  for  the  reform  of 
specific  social  evils.  The  writer  does  not  bind  together  a 
mere  bundle  of  social  speculations,  that  would  seem  to 
many  to  have  only  a  remote  and  abstract  relevance  to 
everyday  life.  He  deals  with  facts  within  every  one's 
knowledge.      "The    New 

rectly  home  to  every  man's  bosom  and  business 
ing  Bacon's  prescription. 

It  is  published  especially  to  meet  the  wants  of  those 
who  wish  to  apply  themselves  to  and  interest  their  friends 
in  the  various  branches  of  educational  and  social  effort 
comprised  in  the  platform  of  the  National  Union  for  Prac- 
tical Progress ;  but,  from  its  wide  sweep  of  all  the  factors 
in  the  social  problem,  it  will  also  serve  to  introduce  many 
readers  to  a  general  consideration  of  the  newer  social 
thinking. 

Price,  paper,  50  cents  ;  cloth,  $1.00. 

The  Irrepressible    Conflict  between 
Two  World=Theories. 

Five  lectures  dealing  with  Christianity  and  evolutionary 
thought,  to  which  is  added  "  The  Inevitable  Surrender  of 
Orthodoxy."  By  the  famous  Unitarian  divine,  advanced 
thinker  and  author  of  "Psychics:  Facts  and  Theories." 
Mr.  Savage  stands  in  the  van  of  the  progress  of  moral, 
humane  and  rational  ideas  of  human  society  and  religion, 
which  must  be  inextricably  commingled  in  the  new  think- 
ing, and  a  stronger  word  for  moral  and  intellectual  free- 
dom has  never  been  written  than  "  The  Irrepressible 
Conflict."  We  are  now  going  through  the  greatest  revo- 
lution of  thought  the  world  has  ever  seen.  It  means 
nothing  less  than  a  new  universe,  a  new  God,  a  new  man, 
a  new  destiny. 

For  sale  by  all  newsdealers  or  sent  postpaid  by 

Arena  Publishing  Co.,  Boston,  Mass. 


Rev. 

Minot  J. 

Savage 


A  New  World,  a 
New  God,  a  New 
Humanity 


The  New  Relig- 
ious Thinking 
deals  only  with 
Verities 


A  Bundle  of  New  Books. 


A  Remarkable 
Volume  showing 
the  Identity  of 
all  Religions  in 
the  Creeds 


Rev. 
S.  Weil 


Comfort  and 
Hope  from 
beyond  the 
Bourne 


A  Book  for 
Sincere  and 

Earnest  Sceptics 


The  Higher  Life 
Here  and  Now 


Price,  paper,  50  cents  ;  cloth,  $1.50. 

The  World's  Congress  of  Religions. 

To  meet  the  general  demand,  the  Arena  Publishing 
Company  has,  with  the  consent  of  the  Parliament  Publish- 
ing Company,  issued  this  popular  work,  which  gives  the 
proceedings  of  the  opening  and  closing  sessions  of  the 
council  verbatiin,  thus  giving  the  reader  a  perfect  picture 
of  one  of  the  most  unique  spectacles  man  has  ever  wit- 
nessed—  a  picture  in  which  the  representatives  of  earth's 
great  religions  united  in  welcome  greeting  and  loving  fare- 
well. These  two  great  gatherings  are  given  vet-batini, 
while  in  twenty-nine  interesting  chapters  are  given  abso- 
lutely verbatim  reports  of  the  greatest  and  most  represen- 
tative papers  or  addresses  which  were  delivered  —  the 
papers  which  most  clearly  set  forth  the  views,  aims  and 
mission  of  the  great  faiths,  and  which  are  immensely  val- 
uable as  contributions  to  the  present  literature  of  the 
world.  It  is  important  to  remember  that  these  addresses 
are  in  full  and  exactly  as  given.  An  impressive  introduc- 
tion has  been  written  for  this  volume  by  Rev.  Minot  J. 
Savage. 

Price,  paper,  50  cents  ;  cloth,  $1.25. 

The  Religion  of  the  Future. 

This  is  a  work  of  great  value,  written  by  one  of  the 
keenest,  most  powerful  and  most  truly  religious  minds  of 
the  day.  It  is  particularly  a  work  which  should  be  put 
into  the  hands  of  those  who  have  freed  themselves  from 
the  dogmas  of  orthodoxy  and  from  the  dogmas  of  mate- 
rialistic science.  It  is  a  profoundly  religious  book.  It 
demonstrates  most  indisputably  to  the  unbiased  mind  the 
existence  of  a  moral  as  well  as  a  material  cosmos.  The 
book  is  addressed  principally  to  sceptics  who  are  seeking 
after  truth.  "The  Religion  of  the  Future"  deals  with 
that  something  lying  behind  the  sympathy  and  interaction 
of  mind  and  body  at  which  natural  science  stops.  It 
brings  forward  data  to  prove  that  this  arbitrary  invalidat- 
ing of  modern  science  is  itself  invalid. 

This  book  starts  with  the  axiom  that  the  mental  world 
is  the  realm  of  cause,  of  which  the  material  world  is  the 
evanescent  effect —  that  there  is  a  "  Power  not  ourselves 
which  makes  for  righteousness."  The  chapters  reveal  a 
new  method  in  psychic  and  spiritual  research. 

for  sale  by  all  newsdealers  or  sent  postpaid  by 

Arena  Publishing  Co.,  Boston,  Mass. 


DATE  DUE 



,^^*P**W 

Wf 

CAYLORD 

PRINTEOINU.S    A 

